News Summary

WEST CHESTER TWP. — Gregory Nelson dreams of going off to The Ohio State University and becoming a sports reporter. Since he was a little boy, he has watched ESPN, soaking up the latest scores, players and teams.

However, for his dream to come true, Nelson, 13, needs a technological breakthrough.

"He's a very intelligent young man trapped in a body that doesn't work for him," said Lakota schools case manager Kris Harvey.

With a form of cerebral palsy that attacks the speech center of his brain, Nelson can't communicate with words. He can't control his hand and arm movements and when he gets excited, it is hard to maintain head control.

"People think he isn't smart," Harvey said.

The opposite is true.

With the help of technology and good old-fashioned signaling, the straight-A student has been able to attend Lakota schools and take accelerated courses. While he is able to communicate with his aide and teachers through eye movements and by looking in certain directions, the school has also provided him with a Vanguard II machine. The computer has words, jokes, phrases and even sports reports programmed into its data base. Each day Nelson, or "Scoop Nelson" as his classmates call him, leads the Pledge of Allegiance and gives sports updates on the morning announcements.

"This is Gregory Nelson. Are you ready for some football?"

With a small round sticker placed on his forehead, Nelson operates the machine using his head as a computer mouse. If he holds the dot over an image long enough, it will say the word he wishes to speak.

Of the more than 17,000 Lakota students, at least 1,500 have been categorized as special-needs students with a range of disabilities.

"We have a reputation for providing great service and I think we're doing a better job identifying kids," Harvey said.

And while children with special needs used to be separated from the mainstream students, they now are able to function in everyday classroom settings.

"I think they've grown up with diversity," Harvey said. "Kids are held accountable for doing the right thing."

Scott Walker, a technology project specialist for the district, said he works with a team, sometimes for several months, in order to find the technology a student needs to thrive in the classroom.

Children receive an Individual Education Plan, which he said is the road map for his team to get started.

"The technology that we use is very expensive," he said. "Most of the time it's provided by grants. My role is to make sure the technology works for the students."

Nelson has trouble controlling his machine at times, said speech pathologist Melissa Rossi.

"Sometimes even though technology is great, it's not always as efficient with him," she said. "It's not an easy skill to teach or learn."

And lately, there is the problem with his hair falling over the dot. Nelson doesn't want to cut it so he can look like his favorite Cincinnati Reds player, Bronson Arroyo.

"I've been calling him Blondeson," said Nelson's personal aide Linda Toirac.

They work with Nelson on perfecting the technology and often work sports into the mix.

After the lunch bell rang, Toirac placed Nelson's hand on the joystick of his wheel chair, adorned with Buckeye beads and a Bengal's backpack. Together they navigated the hallway.

"He doesn't often get frustrated," said his mother Fil Nelson. "He's got a great sense of humor. He just seems to accept it."

Though the special needs program at Lakota was not why the family decide to move to the area, Fil Nelson said it is why they stay.

"The kids are really good. We've been really happy with that."

She said friends, mostly athletes, come over to watch sports or play football on the computer, so her son can watch.

"He gets a real thrill out of it," she said.

And even though he can't participate or share the extent of his thoughts, the emotions are there, she said.

"He's got a pickle face when he doesn't like something," she said.

And when he is happy, "You just know he's so appreciative for what you do for him."

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5067 or lhilty@coxohio.com