When Christal Hall began kindergarten, she was placed in a self-contained classroom at Jennings Northview Elementary. Her love for books and reading, as well as her eagerness to make friends, made her a standout student. With an educational diagnosis of autism, her language skills deficits made it difficult for her to communicate. 

That didn’t stop this 5th-grader from successfully transitioning to general education settings in third grade and achieving her goals. She currently holds a 2.875 GPA and her report cards are peppered with positive comments. She makes her daily transitions with ease and takes on leadership roles in her classes. Her accomplishments make her academic journey a real success story. 

Christal loves learning and school so much that she is truly disappointed when she can't be there. Multiple teachers and support staff, including nominator and occupational therapist Erin Gimar, sing her praises as she has built a reputation among them as a hard-working, intelligent, thoughtful, sweet student and person. She is an advocate for herself and will assist fellow classmates when needed. 

Her achievements also have inspired several special education teachers in Jennings to more deeply appreciate the importance of inclusion. They also are more mindful of adults unwittingly setting limitations that may be too restrictive for students. 

As Christal will attest, success is evidence of the work a remarkable support system in school and at home can help a student achieve.