I think everyone else has done an awesome job of showing that this area and its people deserve respect and compassion when examining the culture and educational needs. There are a lot of areas that can be improved and I think that is why most of us want to be special educators. We see the issues and roadblocks children and families face and want to be part of the solution. I really like the quote that says, "One hundred years from now,It won't matter what car I drove,What kind of house I lived in,How much I had in my bank account,Nor what my clothes looked like,But, the world may be a little betterBecause I was important in the life of a child." On a personal note: Yes, I could move to Columbus and live with a lot more money in my bank account, drive a luxury car, and live in a huge house, but it is not what is most important to my family. I want my daughter to see her grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. weekly and get to go to the barn. She will show steers and experience the highs of winning and lows that come with losing and even losing a calf you have bottle fed for the last week. These experiences are priceless to me and teach life lessons that I don't think can be duplicated. These are my best memories and have made me the passionate person that I am. My daddy (yes it is an appalachian thing to call your father daddy as an adult) says he may have spent big bucks on a cow, but he never had to get any of us out of jail!
I had a very loving childhood and I think part of that was because of where I was raised. I was surrounded by family members and people who I consider family. I learned respect and the importance of manners, GOD, and family at an early age. I am not saying that this is Appalachian, but the things that were emphasized to my sisters and I are defintely part of the culture.