Tom Reed

The famed UCLA coach John Wooden once said that young people need models, not critics. These role models can come from many places, especially from those closest to us such as parents, teachers, coaches, or summer camp counselors. Yet some of the biggest influences on our lives come from those we relate to most – our peers.

The impact that fellow students can have on others is but one of the many reasons why there is a wealth of potential change and growth behind ISAAC’s 1^st Annual International AAC Awareness Month. Part of the motivation behind the event is to increase public awareness on AAC issues. Of greater significance, the event will allow youth who use AAC to have a platform to take a leadership role in their classrooms, and show those in their schools and communities just how powerful their voices can be. It is human nature for people to be scared of change, yet this fear often is not because someone does not want the change, but simply are ignorant to what is behind that change. The events during International AAC Awareness Month are one step towards eliminating that ignorance and showing those within our communities just how much a person who uses AAC is capable of doing in life.