Shorecrest student's poem goes to state PTA Reflections contest in Special Artist category

JJ and Veronica dressed as super heroes
at school shortly after JJ wrote the poem

Jerimiah "JJ" Johnson is a student of Veronica Cook from the Shorecrest A-team - a program for students with significant Autism.

The poem he entered in the PTA Reflections contest is headed to the state competition in the Washington State PTA Reflections Finals for the 106th WSPTA Convention, which will be held April 26-28 at the SeaTac Hilton Convention Center.

JJ is Shoreline’s first entry into the WAPTA Special Artist category.

The theme for this year's Reflections contact is "Heroes Around Me."

Example of Super Keys,
the app JJ uses to type with.

JJ, a non-verbal student, typed a poem about his teacher Veronica Cook using his district iPad and the assistive technology that is provided for him to be successful in communicating.

JJ and his ribbon from the Shoreline
Reflections competition

He uses a program called Super Keys to allow him to target the letters better.

When JJ started out at Shorecrest, Veronica was told he had no communication. 

She quickly learned that this was not the case and worked with his family to advance the communication he had and to encourage him to use it as much as possible.

Now JJ is an award winning poet. 

JJ was given the theme for the title of his poem and wrote this:

Hero Around Me

by JJ Johnson

You are the hero around me

You take care of all of your students

You kind and tough

You are a super teacher

I work hard because of you

You are my hero

You are my friend

Veronica said, "JJ is an inspiration to all the staff in the A-team classroom and I hope he is an inspiration to all of you too."