J.E. Harrison teachers invent switch to help disabled student express creativity

The educational staff at J. E. Harrison Education Center in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District recently brought their creativity to life to provide a with new ways to express his creativity.

Sam Langol, who just finished kindergarten at Harrison, has Acute Flaccid Myelitis – it is a rare, Polio-like neurologic condition that affects his muscular control.

Langol uses his head to operate his electronic wheelchair, and Rachel Thiros, an occupational therapist at Crossroads Speech and Hearing who provides service to children at Harrison, wondered if that could be adapted for other fine motor skill tasks in the classroom. Thiros needed a hat to start the project and asked in the classroom where student-teacher Carly Lutz was working.

Thiros not only got a hat, but a collaborator in Lutz. As the two talked, Thiros learned that Lutz has a background in engineering, having taken courses and attended camps in high school. Thiros enlisted Lutz to help with creating switch-operated scissors for Langol.

Staff members at Harrison and throughout the district enthusiastically joined in.

“We needed wires, parts and tools. The network administrator, David Green, and science teacher, Jeffrey Reffert, donated materials that Carly could use to adapt devices,” Thiros said. “At the same time, the STEAM teacher, Jess Seidl, was using the 3D printer to create parts to make a tactile switch and head stick that would attach to a baseball cap. The tactile switch would operate the electric scissors and the head stick would be a way to allow for participation in writing tasks.”

Lutz was excited about the undertaking but found it challenging.

“I haven’t done work with circuits since high school, so I was a little rusty. After a few frustrating days, I brought all of the tools and scissors home and was set on figuring out the scissors,” Lutz said. “I spent hours one night working through the problems, then finally I found success. I ran around the house bursting with excitement showing my parents the finished project.”

The true satisfaction came when she brought the scissors to Langol to use.

“That’s when I knew this was something special,” she said. “I saw Sam use those scissors and his smile filled the room. I was hooked since that moment. Then, I watched Sam use the adapted hat with a pencil to write his name and he wrote the word mom.”

Inspired by the win, Thiros and Lutz teamed up to make a paint spinner, so Langol could paint, using a paintbrush attached to that same Dunkin’ Donuts hat.

“Sam had a quick positive response to using the electric switch operated scissors that Carly adapted,” Thiros said. “His enthusiasm was enough to send us on another mission. It was important to find an activity that would allow for independence in all areas.”

Langol instantly took to the paint spinner.

“He painted for an hour without stopping. Even then, he didn’t want to stop,” Thiros said.

Watching Langol use the paint spinner filled those around him with wonder.

“The students from the life-skills room came down to watch Sam use the paint spinner. The kids sat on my lap and we watched Sam. The room was filled with so much positive energy,” Lutz said. “Later in the day, Sam delivered me a painting that he made and Rachel told me he asked for a paint spinner for his house. I am so thankful for this experience and it is something that I will continue to do for children in my classroom and in my school.”

“The sky is the limit for the students who work with Rachel Thiros. She sees an opportunity and her creative mind goes into overdrive!” said Patricia Fusco, principal at Harrison. “I’ve known Carly for a long time and she’s always embraced a challenge – now she’s being influenced as an emerging educator. Carly is inspired with a vision that will impact many more children’s lives in the future.”