A special education teacher in Georgia recently went above and beyond to make sure his students felt the kind of love and belonging that every child deserves.
There are countless people in our own backyards who are unable to experience the things we take for granted every day. We go to the store and purchase what we want or take a weekend trip with our family or friends. It may seem like a usual thing to us. But the reality is that for some families, those things feel like a dream they cannot fulfill on their own.
Most of us rarely notice them because we are busy with our own lives. But some people have a heart of Christ that sobs when others cry and refuses to turn away when someone is in need.
Wes Massey is such a person who knew his students with special needs deserved to feel seen, valued, and included, and did something extraordinary.
Wes teaches students in the alternate assessment program at Commerce City Schools. He noticed a hard truth. His kids didn’t have basketball jerseys or cheer uniforms. They rarely got the experiences that other students just take for granted. He wanted to highlight their value to the community. He wanted them to know they are important.
So he started a plan. It grew until the whole county was involved.
They surprised 31 students and their families with an overnight trip to Great Wolf Lodge in LaGrange. Everything was free. Local donors and businesses paid for it all. They thought of every detail. They even had two charter buses and extra vehicles for kids with oxygen tanks or feeding tubes.
When the families arrived at the hotel, the kids got gift cards. This let them make their own choices and buy their own lunch. They played putt-putt and went to the ‘Build-A-Bear’ workshop. Many of these families were doing these things together for the very first time.
Even the county sheriff got involved. On a Sunday morning, he led the buses out of town with his lights and sirens on. It was a way to make sure everyone saw these kids and knew they mattered.
Wes knows the road has been bumpy for these families. He told them, “I know life’s been hard, I know there’s been challenges, but we are going to do everything we can as a school system to make sure you’re included, you’re important. You matter to us just as much as any of our kids.”
We can all make a difference in someone’s life by helping them feel loved and included, just as teacher Wes did for his students. When we do that, others see and experience the love of Christ in us. That is one of the greatest ministries we can do on this earth.
WATCH: Special Education Teacher Goes Above and Beyond to Show His Students They Matter
