{Editor's Note:  Jamie is a student in the West Genesee school district near Syracuse.  He read this speech at a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the IDEA sponsored by the Center for Human Policy at Syracuse University.]

People, you must know that people who have life changing situations mostly feel the need to be as others in being both challenged and made to feel life is to verify the love of living it.  By allowing the idea that life is to be given as God gave me my mostly intelligent brain, I must honor that gift.  So I tell you that kids need challenge and they need to tell of the desire to succeed in not only school, but also with friends in the circle of life and placed not on the edge, but in the center.

The law called I.D.E.A. has given my life not an order, but a gentle command to move me to the center.  If I was made to sit on the edge, sadly it becomes too small and kids as I am fall off and disappear.  The circle of life is not a design, but a special place where inside the edge, all might be equal and those in it are blessed and those on the edge are doomed to sadness and lousy hearts of both fear and looking with love at the changing times.

Because of the I.D.E.A. my life is blessed and my new voice and hope of life as you have is now seen as a true place I may visit and, if desired, to stay.  Being included in my school is everything to me.  My typing was good, but speech is a very new skill and my heart was just a bit like Godzilla needing to beat his chest and yell, "I am here, listen to me now!!!"

Thank you.