Teenager prevails by determination
Hunter Bonawitz, an eighth-grader at Mountain View Middle School, is like most 14-year-olds. He plays video games on his Xbox, is a wiz at text-messaging, likes hanging out with his friends and blushes when asked about girls.
He’s a typical teenager, but it takes an enormous amount of effort and determination for him to do things that other kids take for granted.
Bonawitz was born with a prolapsed umbilical cord that caused oxygen deprivation. When he was 8 months old he was diagnosed with athetoid cerebral palsy.
This form of cerebral palsy affects the ability to control muscles, and the arms or legs of those with the disease may flutter and move suddenly.
Bonawitz has physical challenges but no cognitive impairments. Nearly all of his classes are regular education classes. He gets mostly A’s and regularly makes the honor roll.
“My favorite subject in school is math,” he said. His biggest frustration is “a lot of homework.”
“He’s so capable. He doesn’t need anybody to think for him. He’s very comfortable with himself,” said Robin Pyatt, the paraprofessional who works one-on-one with Bonawitz during his day at the East Farms-area school.
His mom, Dana Bonawitz, agrees. “He’s very motivated, very particular and he wants to please. He’s always been this way, and he always finishes what he starts.”
Bonawitz doesn’t talk, but he communicates with a special computer on his motorized wheelchair. He uses his left hand to move a joystick, which lets him spell out messages and do his schoolwork.
The computer gives him a voice. He can speak and laugh with it, make noises and sound effects, and it’s even gotten him in trouble for “talking” in class.
Bonawitz said the hardest part about communicating this way is getting his thoughts on the computer fast enough.
He’s an expert at non-verbal communication. He can let you know what he’s thinking by his smile, the way he nods his head or moves his eyes and eyebrows. Like most teenagers, he’s perfected rolling his eyes.
Dana Bonawitz said her son always wants to know why he can’t do certain things. He goes boating and can go sledding with support. “If I can accommodate him, I will,” said the mom.
Being a full-time caregiver teaches you to put someone else’s needs before yours, she said. “He keeps me grounded. He’s taught me that imperfection isn’t necessarily a bad thing and what is perfection after all?”
Bonawitz’s dad, Lee Bonawitz, is a senior chief in the U.S. Navy. He’s stationed in Bahrain, an island in the Persian Gulf, until August. “We e-mail each other,” said the son.
He is close to his 17-year-old brother Remington, a senior at East Valley High School. “Hunter will text-message Remington and tell him he’s thirsty, and he’ll bring him something to drink,” said Dana Bonawitz.
“Everyone just loves Hunter. It’s more than communicating – he’s able to connect with his peers,” said Pyatt.
Pyatt said Bonawitz likes to tease people. He’ll go into a classroom and wheel up to the teacher’s desk. When asked if he planned to take over the class, he smiled and nodded yes.
Each year Kelly Michael, the special education teacher at Mountain View, has about 15 seventh- and eighth-graders volunteer to be her teacher assistants.
“I have regular ed students ask to be in the class. Almost all of the seventh-graders come back as eighth-graders. They learn about disabilities and develop friendships. They see the things they have in common with each other. When they learn this when they’re young, it’s not a scary thing,” said Michael.
This is the second year Amber Eggleston, 13, has worked with Bonawitz.
“He’s smart. He looks at a paper twice and he knows it, said Eggleston. “He has his own special way to talk and you talk back. Working with him is fun. It’s something to look forward to.”
Doug Hawley has been Bonawitz’s science teacher for two years. “He does great. He’s got a great sense of humor, and he even laughs at my lame jokes,” said Hawley.
“He really lights up a room. He’s been great for the school, and the school’s been great for him.”