I graduated from Big Sky High School in Missoula, Montana, last June. Each year the graduating class is required to do a Senior Project with an activity component and a written research paper that relates to the activity field work. 

Terror accompanied by waves of nausea occurred when John Gleeson was called to present his five minute speech in Basic English, 7th Grade at Jefferson Junior High School, Long Beach California. You see I am a stutterer. It was in the time of the Great Depression (nothing great about it), my family was dysfunctional, we were on welfare often, and life was very difficult.

Addressing students about their stuttering is one of the hardest tasks for me to do. Maybe it is because I am new to the field. I do not have the perfect words to say or a script to memorize. I’ve learned that you have to approach every student differently. That goes for any child – even those who do not stutter. Nobody is the same. I love that!

In 2013, reality TV shared with us several talented artists who are also persons who stutter. American Idol’s Lazaro Arbos was a huge favorite among our Facebook friends while Harrison Craig of The Voice – Australia came in first place. Today’s Q&A Spotlight is on Shane Garcia, a contestant from Florida on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance.