‘She’s pretty fearless’

Posted 5/19/16

“She’s pretty fearless,” said Jennifer D’Alessandro, who teaches special education at Westside Elementary School.

D’Alessandro talked with Krysta’s dad, Chris Hubbard, who said simply: “Don’t hold her back.”

He encourages her …

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‘She’s pretty fearless’

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Student with limited vision refuses to be limited in life

Soon after Krysta Hubbard started at Westside last year, she climbed to the very top of the playground equipment — alarming her teachers, who knew she couldn’t see.

“She’s pretty fearless,” said Jennifer D’Alessandro, who teaches special education at Westside Elementary School.

D’Alessandro talked with Krysta’s dad, Chris Hubbard, who said simply: “Don’t hold her back.”

He encourages her adventurous and curious spirit.

The 8-year-old scales the rock wall in P.E. class, spins around on playground equipment and runs along with her classmates.

“I don’t think there’s anything that scares her really ... she’s always been like that,” said Chris Hubbard.

Though Krysta was born with sight, she lost most of her vision due to a brain tumor when she was 2 years old. She has limited peripheral vision if she holds something very close to the side of her face — but even then, it’s just glimpses of light or shapes.

Thankfully, the tumor was benign.

“When this first happened, I was so scared about her future,” said Chris Hubbard. “But now, it’s made her into the girl she is today.”

‘She’s so smart’

Krysta’s teachers describe her as determined, spunky, intelligent and athletic, with a great sense of humor.

“Krysta is one of a kind,” said Kassi Ashby, her third-grade teacher.

Just as she’s not held back on the playground, Krysta’s family and teachers don’t want her to have any limitations in the classroom.

She has learned how to read and write in Braille. Quickly moving her hands along book pages, Krysta is able to read 91 words per minute — exceeding her end-of-the-year goal of 80.

“Watching her write and read Braille is jaw-dropping,” said Ashby. “I think I just stare at her at times in amazement.”

In addition to the Braille alphabet, Krysta also has learned Braille contractions. D’Alessandro compared it to old-fashioned shorthand, where a symbol represents a full word.

Since individual letters and contractions sometimes use the same symbols, it’s more difficult to read contracted Braille.

D’Alessandro and Dawn Bradish, a special education para-educator, ensure Krysta’s lessons are translated into Braille.

“There is a lot of extra work that goes into planning and preparing lessons for Krysta to make sure that she has what she needs to ‘see’ what we see,” Ashby said.

A Cranmer Abacus comes in handy for math problems, but her teachers also find inventive ways to help Krysta with her math and other schoolwork.

Using wax on her papers or puff paint on a glass surface, Bradish and D’Alessandro make equations tactile for Krysta. They’ve even used weather-stripping cut in different widths or drywall tape to help Krysta feel her lessons.

“We’ve just gotten very creative,” D’Alessandro said. They use resources from visually-impaired institutions and even Pinterest. D’Alessandro also gets help and resources from a Casper teacher of the visually impaired, Catherine Morris, who she called “a tremendous mentor.”

Krysta uses technology daily, including an iPad and a Braille Sense — a small high-tech Braille machine with WiFi, audio capabilities and a Braille keyboard. It also has a GPS to help Krysta navigate to an address and allows her to read books downloaded from the internet.

For class presentations, D’Alessandro taught Krysta how to incorporate QR codes — a type of barcode — that can be scanned with an iPad or smartphone.

Krysta isn’t able to see her classmates’ posters and presentations, but with a simple scan, she can access audio connected to their reports.

This spring, Krysta researched Florida for her state project. She said she chose Florida because she likes saying the capital: Tallahassee. In her presentation, she included a QR code that allowed viewers to read her report translated from Braille.

Krysta can use a regular keyboard so she can type on any computer and also uses a Perkins Brailler — basically, a Braille typewriter.

Third-graders take the MAPS test, but the national exam didn’t have a version for blind students. Krysta was part of a pilot program this year to make the test more user-friendly for students with visual impairments.

“She’s so smart,” said Chris Hubbard. “It’s mind-boggling that she can do all this stuff.”

High expectations

As Krysta has perfected reading and writing in Braille, she also kept up with all the other third-grade assignments throughout the school year.

“She is taught the same standards as the other students in the class and held to the same expectations,” Ashby said. “At times, these expectations may be frustrating for her — but nevertheless, she jumps in and does her very best.”

Earlier this year, third-graders researched a famous person in history and prepared a presentation. Students dressed in character and presented the biographies as part of a “Wax Museum.”

Krysta chose Mary Ingalls, sister of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, who wrote “Little House on the Prairie.” Mary Ingalls also lost her eyesight as a child.

“The Wax Museum was a big stepping stone for Krysta,” Ashby said. “It gave her such an opportunity to showcase her skills.” Krysta didn’t miss a beat as she shared about Ingalls’ life. Some people watching her presentation asked if she was really blind.

“I was so proud of how well she owned her character and presented her piece,” Ashby said.

Like most kids, she looks forward to the fun parts of school. Music and P.E. are her favorite subjects. When asked about her favorite part of the school day, she was quick to respond: Recess.

Krysta’s education at Westside includes expanded standards, such as social and independent living skills. She also is learning how to safely and independently navigate through the school’s hallways, classrooms and cafeteria line as well as the Powell community.

“We’re trying to work on independence so she can be self-sufficient,” Bradish said.

Krysta uses a cane, which really helps, said Chris Hubbard.

“As far as navigation, she’s great,” he said. “You can put something where it wouldn’t be normally, and she’ll stop and work her way around it.”

She also “has super sonic hearing,” as D’Alessandro said.

“Her sense of hearing is so keen that she is able to distinguish when people are close to her as well as often times who they are,” said Chris Wolff, who teaches adaptive P.E.

Embracing activities

When P.E. class begins, students often start running.

“I’ve got 20 third-graders running around a gym, changing directions and avoiding others,” said Luke Robertson, who teaches P.E. at Westside. “And right in the mix of it is Krysta, running in open space with her classmates … Krysta is fearless.”

Krysta always takes on challenges, and Robertson said he’s never heard her say she couldn’t do something.

“I love she has the attitude that she can do whatever everyone else is doing and is willing to try new and challenging things,” he said.

Krysta qualified for Westside’s marathon, joining dozens of other students in the annual event Wednesday.

She also went on multiple skiing trips over the winter with Eagle Mount, finishing the season by skiing independently down the beginner slope, Wolff said. 

Recently, she embraced the volleyball unit in P.E., learning how to serve the ball over the net.

Sometimes, P.E. activities are adapted for Krysta, such as using a beach ball that is lighter or a ball that makes noise so she can track it more easily.

But often, Krysta doesn’t need any adaptive equipment, Wolff said.

‘She fits right in’

Among her peers, Krysta is “kind of like a rock star,” Bradish said.

She has made many friends who enjoy playing, partnering together in class or helping her out.

“She fits right in,” Ashby said, adding that fellow students treat Krysta as an equal.

“The other kids in class are unbelievable. All of them,” Robertson said. “It seems like everyone in class wants to be her partner.”

In fact, he occasionally has to tell students Krysta may not need all the help they’re offering her.

“Sometimes I think the other kids benefit more from Krysta being there than Krysta benefits from their help,” Robertson said.

Students as well as teachers have learned a lot from her, he added.

“She has taught me so much this year about perseverance and life,” Ashby said. “I can’t wait to see what she tackles in her future!”

Click here for a video of Krysta reading her state project in Braille and presenting a biography.

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