By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist
It’s not often that tears are shed during a board meeting, even less often that the tears are a good thing. But the swell of emotion among the 50-plus people at Monday night’s Athens ISD school board meeting came from of an upswell of love and admiration.
At the center of all the smiling weepiness was 15-year-old Blake Bowden. Diagnosed as a kindergartener with a form of muscular dystrophy called Friedreich’s ataxia, Blake attended school as long as possible and has received instruction at home the past three years.
Upon being introduced by Assistant Superintendent Janie Sims Monday night, he presented himself before the board, sitting in his wheelchair with a shy grin on his face, clearly wondering what was about to happen. Blake had thought he and his family were attending the meeting in order to thank those involved with the recent construction of a deck at his house. But things went differently than his family had led him to believe. Continue reading “Tears of joy flow when student receives honorary degree”