A list Damon made in elementary school and kept in his room for organization. I'm happy to say that he didn't forget me in his goals.
Damon Mauk Memorial Fund
Through the Richland County Foundation
To honor Damon's memory, we started a charitable fund at the Richland County Foundation (Ohio) to help teachers and students who have additional learning needs or disabilities, and/or have sensory sensitivities that makes learning different for them in our current education systems. By contributing to this fund, you not only help us honor Damon’s memory, but you also support the education of neurodiverse students in Richland County.
IEP stands for individualized education plan and is created to help children who learn differently than “neurotypical” students. Damon's speech was delayed as a preschooler, he was considered ADHD, and initial testing indicated he had a cognitive delay in elementary school.
When tested by a school psychologist, he was "off the charts" linguistically, showing no deficits in his intelligence, he was choosing when he wanted to talk. Damon comprehended information differently. He felt emotions deeper than others, was paralyzed by fluorescent lighting, and needed adjustments to allow him to move more frequently to fit into the typical classroom setting.
We were blessed with wonderful teachers who genuinely cared and a supportive family who was relentless in making sure Damon flourished. As a child in school, Damon once hid in a dark space so long the school had to be put on “lockdown”. While this was a running joke amongst classmates and even mentioned at his graduation, the reality was that Damon was overstimulated by sensory triggers and suffered migraines from artificial lighting. A dark space was refuge to him, it was calming.
Damon learned to organize tasks and to make lists, while I worked with him implementing a reward system for the tasks he did well. Positive feedback assists in changing behavior more than punishment and empowers kids to focus on what they do well. As a result, he made the Honor Roll in his final three years of high school, worked full time his Senior year and still managed to become a district wrestler. He was never ashamed of being on an IEP and loved the teachers who encouraged him. People and children who learn differently should not be ostracized or be embarrassed that they don't fit the mold.
How to make a donation
Visit the Richland County Foundation website by clicking the button below.
Click “Donate to a Fund” at the top-right corner of page.
In the search bar where it says “Search Funds”, type in “Damon Mauk Memorial Fund”.
On the right side of the screen, select how much you want to donate, how often, and click donate.
Donations are 100% tax-deductible.
How are the funds used and distributed?
IEP teachers (intervention specialists) will work with their students and parents to apply to the Foundation for a grant from Damon’s memorial fund. The Foundation manages the Fund and distributes the grant money to the schools and teachers. Given that the fund isn’t very large yet and we want to maximize its impact, grants will only go to schools in the Lucas School District for now. However, we hope to expand it to all of Richland County once we grow the fund.
Teachers can use the money to pay for any necessary equipment or supplies that their students might need, such as headphones to reduce auditory (over)stimulation, standing desks so that students don’t have to sit in the same chair all day, and even exercise balls to sit on for students who need that movement to feel more relaxed while they learn.
We do not limit the teachers on what they can spend the grant funds on because they are the experts in their students’ learning and together with their guardians, they know best what their students need.