In Their Own Words
![photo of Penny and other teens with disabilities standing in front of a lemonade stand and waving](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AJB-why-go-to-hope-heals-camp-penny-in-her-own-words-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Why Go to Hope Heals Camp?
After spending eight hours in the Philadelphia airport (a long, boring story), we landed in Birmingham and are now at one of our favorite places—Hope
![collage of photos of Penny at Camp Pals with friends](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AJB-camp-pals-2024-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Camp PALS 2024
Penny, can you explain Camp PALS to people who don’t know anything about it? Who is it for? Yes. Camp PALS is for young adults
![photo of Penny dancing on stage with other dancers. She is wearing a purple dance costume and holding flowers; inside the photo is a blue-framed photo of Penny as a toddler wearing a pink tutu](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-dance-dedication-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Dance and Dedication
What values are important to you? Penny recently thought about that question, and I love her answer—and that it’s connected to dance! (Scroll down to
![3 photos of Penny from graduation day](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-high-school-graduation-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Graduation and the Future
Penny is a high school graduate! Here are her reflections on graduation day and the future: I can’t really believe you have finished your final
![collage of 3 photos from Penny's senior project. On the left, Amy Julia, Peter, and Penny pose together with Penny's presentation on a screen behind them. In the middle is a photo of Penny standing at a classroom podium and smiling widely at her audience. To the right is a photo of Penny posing with three girls who are in college and who came to watch Penny's senior project presentation](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-inclusion-belonging-1-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Senior Project Presentation
Intellectual disability does not need to prevent young adults from learning. With support, encouragement, and room to make mistakes and grow from them, students like
![collage of three photos of Penny ready for senior prom and standing in front of a flowering bush: one is with Peter, one by herself, and one with Amy Julia](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AJB-senior-prom-penny-in-her-own-words-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Senior Prom
We’ve been talking about senior prom all year long, and I wasn’t sure whether the event itself would be a letdown after so much anticipation.
![collage of photos of Penny on senior trip](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AJB-penny-senior-trip-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Senior Trip
Life for our 18-year-old with Down syndrome isn’t perfect, but it is good. Penny just spent three days with her class on their senior spring
![photo of Penny sitting on a patio](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ajb-penny-17-year-old-what-i-want-you-to-know-about-my-life-with-down-syndrome-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: What I Want You to Know About My Life
What does life for a 17-year-old with Down syndrome look like? In case you’re curious, I asked Penny a few questions about her life as
![photo of Penny looking down at a wooden table and writing a list on a piece of paper](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ajb-inclusion-high-school-senior-project-1-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Inclusion and High School Senior Project
What does inclusion look like for a senior with Down syndrome at our local public school? Here’s one example, in her own words, from an
![photo of Penny sitting inside on a comfy white chair next to large windows; she is typing on a laptop](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ajb-pennys-congrats-letter-to-a-parent-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Dear Parent, Congrats!
This summer at Camp PALS, Penny had a chance to write a letter to a new parent of a baby with Down syndrome as a