2005 Annie Sullivan Award Winner: Susan Hazlett

The recipient of the 2005 Annie Sullivan award for the support staff first began her employment with Intermediate Unit 1 as a day-to-day substitute. This individual became a full time employee in February 2002. Her first full time assignment was at Washington Park Elementary in a life skills support class. While assigned to this program she offered many students the support they needed so that they could participate in regular education classes and activities.

In her current assignment, she works with students who are mainstreamed into the morning kindergarten program. She has helped them to become part of the class and has kept them involved in all aspects of the kindergarten classroom.

This nominee has been involved in many aspects of the disability community since her son was born in 1992 with Down Syndrome. Her involvement began when she joined a parent support group at United Cerebral Palsy after her son's birth. The group met monthly and had a variety of speakers and provided information to help educate parents. She remained very active in this group until her son entered Child Alert at age 3. She was involved in his education at this level and helped out at the school as much as she could. This experience helped her to gain knowledge of other disability areas. When her son moved into the school age program at Washington Park Elementary she again was very involved in his education and socialization and formed a new parent support group. This group worked very hard to raise funds to take the children on community-based trips and field trips, hosted parties for the children and bought items for their classrooms. The group also helped parents gain the knowledge they needed to assist them with issues they were facing. She sent information to parents on recreational activities, medication, educational services and other important resources.

In 1999, she became involved in ARC Human Services summer day camp program, Camp Laughalot. As a counselor, she was able to spend time with other children with special needs in addition to spending time with her own son who also attended the camp. Originally she took the position to help out because a counselor had quit, but ended up loving the job. She was a counselor for two years before being asked to be the director of camp. She has been the director for the past four years and the camp has grown from 12 campers a week for 4 weeks the first year to 40 to 50 campers a week for 8 weeks last year. She brings many visitors and programs to the camp to educate and entertain the children. In addition to overseeing Camp Laughalot this nominee has also begun two special events throughout the year. In August the children enjoy a "Camp Laughalot Prom" where they dress up and dance the night away. During the holidays they have a "Holiday Ball" where there is more dancing, dressing up and socializing with friends.

This nominee also helps her husband run a baseball team for children with special needs. The team "The Little Wild Things" is a buddy baseball game and runs for 3 weeks in August. She coordinates a picnic and awards ceremony for the players and their families on their final game day. With the help of the Wild Things Baseball Team, the Pony League and many devoted parents and friends this has become a great activity for the children. It gives them a chance to play a game where they find success and really have fun.

This nominee is married and has 3 sons, a daughter-in-law and 2 grandsons. She loves to bake and decorate cakes for her family and friends. One of her biggest rewards was to see how much joy her son got out of being mainstreamed. She truly enjoys helping children be the best that they can be. She values the many friends that she has made over the years and hopes that she will always be able to help parents of special needs children.

Without further ado, it is with great pleasure that I announce the 2005 Annie Sullivan Award winner from the support staff, Mrs. Susan Hazlett.