At 13, Brianne Neeley helped a preschool-aged girl at the Warrick Education Center.
One day, Neeley’s mother, who volunteered at the school, noticed that the young girl, who wore braces on her legs, couldn’t get to the playground because of a small ledge that separated the playground from the rest of the school.
Once Neeley heard about this, she said she approached the school principal and got his approval to build an ADA compliant modular wheelchair ramp over the ledge with her dad’s help.
“The day (the girl) saw the ramp built specially for her, she cried from excitement,” she said.
Neeley, who also babysat two girls with Down Syndrome while she was in middle school, said it inspired her to tackle other small projects at the Warrick Education Center for the Special Education Classroom. She helped sew poodle skirts for their preschool graduation and painted with students who were over stimulated and needed a productive way to relax.
Now Neeley, one of three freshman-at-large members inducted into the Student Government Association (SGA) Sept. 18, plans to continue lending a helping hand during her time at the university.
Neeley said she wants to offer more assistance to students on campus with disabilities and make a bigger effort to help them feel included.
“There are a lot of students on campus with disabilities,” Neeley said during the meeting. “I think it’s important that the rest of the student body makes them feel welcome and reaches out to them.”
In her spare time, Neeley said she likes to pursue her interest in special needs photography.
“Many parents have expressed needs for comfortable photographers who understand and can capture good portraits,” she said.
As she settles into college life, Neeley is still doing everything she can to help the disabled. She said she plans to work with the university and the student body to help everyone become more comfortable with each other.
She said she would like to work closely with Disabilities Services, UNIV 101 classes and possibly the Best Buddy program to help reach her goals.
After college, Neeley plans to teach special education and geology.