Kansas City’s Bill Cummings Launches Inclusive Leadership Program

Kansas City, MO — When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented and changing times.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these heroes making a difference in their communities. We’re working to let all your neighbors know about these outstanding people and their stories.

This submission comes from Beth Gilbert who nominated Bill Cummings of Kansas City, MO.Cummings launched an inclusive leadership program that's designed to help recently graduated students transition into life after high school.

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Local hero’s full name

Bill Cummings

Local hero’s home state

Illinois

Local hero’s Patch

Kansas City, MO

How do you know the local hero?

Neighbor

What does the local hero do?

Program Organizer

Why do you believe the local hero should be recognized or honored?

Creating a High School leadership program that concentrates on Inclusion for ID/DD Alumni.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the local hero?

Bill's positivity is infectious. Bill is an Edgewalker. By this I mean Bill noticed a tremendous problem affecting thousands of families. Many studies prove that early retirement is not healthy. In fact in Okinawa Japan they don’t have a word for Retirement. Okinawa is one of 7 Blue Zones across the world where a population has a life expectancy much higher than the global average. This inspired Bill to find a way to prevent ID/DD individuals to essentially retire after leaving High School at age 22. Bill created a leadership program for select students to act as Ambassadors to invite Graduates with ID/DD back to their High School essentially the only large friendly environment they have ever been a part of. Select programs, Sports, Arts and Social activities are once again available for fun and true INCLUSION. Audience Now is a new program Bill developed and is piloting at Downers Grove North.

Bill expects this program to grow to all the High School Districts that offer Transition Programs for ID/DD Students.

Thank you for all you do, Bill Cummings!

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Know someone making a difference in town? Nominate them here.