It is fitting that as Katie moves from her high school days into the Transition Program, which will prepare her for life in the community, we mark the occasion with graduation.

Then she's off
for an exciting evening
with a handsome young man.

She has graduated in other aspects of life as well. Katie has left the home of her parents and now resides in "Katie's Condo." She invited her friends and family to share the "graduation celebration" at Katie's Condo, where she showed off her "new digs," introduced her roommates and celebrated her new life. Katie has invited close friends and family to become members of her "Circle of Support," by committing to give 2 hours per month to Katie, to help make her life rich with people and activities and add to the fabric of her life.

Katie as a Little Girl | My Sister
by Robb Lockhart, at age 11

I have two brothers and one sister. I want to tell you about my sister. Her name is Katie. She has brown eyes, brown hair, and she's 7 years old. Katie loves music, loves to swing, and loves video games and TV. She's tall, thin and pretty, in my opinion. She sounds just like anybody's little sister, doesn't she? But she's different. She's mentally retarded. I mean not like a "jerky" mentally retarded. I mean like physically disabled or mentally retarded. Not many people know a mentally retarded person, and so they are afraid. Mentally retarded really means slow to learn.

Katie was born with brain damage which left her with cerebral palsy which means her muscles don't work right. For instance, she is just now learning to climb the stairs. She can't feed herself or talk. But she still finds ways to communicate like using a little sign language. You KNOW when she doesn't like something. Even though she has trouble doing many things, she has no trouble getting on my nerves. For instance, just recently she has discovered my room and loves watching the video games. My dad plays the video games more than me. Katie takes my dad's hand and takes him into my room which I'm studying. It's possible that I can be kicked out of my own room just so Katie can enjoy herself! I do homework in that room!

There are disadvantages to Katie as a little sister. I don't know what it's like to have a "regular" girl in the family. I can't always do the things I want because of Katie. But then Katie doesn't get into all of my stuff either.

Having Kate as a sister has taught me many things. It hasn't been easy, but I wouldn't trade her for the world.