April 29, 2016 at 4:56 p.m.
'Everyone loves James': RHS junior class nominates autistic youth for prom king
'Everyone loves James': RHS junior class nominates autistic youth for prom king
This year, the class of 2017 did something school officials don't believe has ever been done before, they overwhelmingly selected an autistic student as one of the finalists for king.
But James Michniak is not just any autistic student and the honor his fellow juniors bestowed on him isn't because of his condition, it is because of how beloved he is in the school community.
Shelly Lehman has been Michniak's special education teacher for three years.
She said it's Michniak habit to stand in the hallway outside her classroom and greet students as they move between classes, fist bumping some and giving others side hugs.
In her seven years at RHS, Lehman said she has never seen a special needs student selected for the prom court. Prior to that, she was a special education teacher for 13 years at Crandon High School and never saw a special needs student named to the prom court there, either.
"What's neat about this one is that it was really the students that voted him in," she said. "They did it all on their own because he's that popular of a guy in the junior class."
The junior class started voting for king and queen Thursday morning, but the two students named royaltyfor "A Walk in Wonderland" won't be announced until just after the Grand March Saturday night.
"The kids overwhelmingly voted for James to be on the court," Lehman said. "As the vote was coming in, the prom advisors came to me and said that James Michniak is getting most of the vote. The class wants him to be on the court. It was really exciting to see that coming in."
She said Michniak is excited to be on the prom court.
"He's excited and happy, but I did have to sit him down and explain to him what prom was," she said. "I did some social stories with him as to what prom is and I showed him some pictures from past proms. He says he's excited to go out to eat and dance with his friends."
Lehman said Michniak's tuxedo and shoes were donated by Lund and Taylor Bridal Gallerie in Rhinelander.
As he hadn't actually intended to go to prom, James didn't have a ticket or a tux, she said. "But when we found out that he had been nominated for this, we quickly called Lund and Taylor to see what the time frame was because we knew there was kind of a cutoff that they needed measurements for a tux. So we called to see when that was and what the cost of a tux would be so that when I called the family, I would have all that information."
When she spoke to Mary Taylor at Lund and Taylor she was told that Michniak's tux would be provided at no charge. The donation took a huge financial burden off his parents Corrine and John, she added.
"(Taylor) said that every year they like to sponsor or donate two tuxes for someone who might need them and would love to be able to sponsor his tux for the event," she said. "They are very expensive, it was very nice of them, very generous."
Lehman said the Michniaks have been very touched by the honor that his classmates have bestowed on their son.
"They couldn't believe it. They are very proud of James," Lehman said. "Mom said this is why she loves living in a small town community, that her kids have been able to go through the school system here and flourish and all the opportunities they have had. She is very proud of how James' class has always made him a part of the class. Disability or no disability, the class has always included him in everything."
Lehman said this inclusive attitude has come from the students themselves without pressure from the school staff.
"It has made us very proud," Lehman said, adding that other special needs students are excited for him as well.
"Our students are encouraged to go to prom, that's their prom, their dance, too," she said. "We have a couple other students who are going too. I think they're even more excited that (James) made the court. It shows our students that they can be involved in anything."
She said the example the class of 2017 is setting for the other classes cannot be overstated. The district makes every effort to "mainstream" special needs students, and to have one named to the prom court is the ultimate in this effort.
"When it happens naturally, when peers help out someone in a class or invite someone to a football game or a dance, it just doesn't get any better than that," she said. "The ultimate goal is for it to happen naturally and how this all just rolled out is perfect."
Brittany Haakenson is in her second year as a prom advisor. While it's unusual for a special needs student to make the prom court, she said Michniak's inclusion wasn't a surprise to her because she knows he is beloved by all.
"I was excited for James, but I wasn't surprised because everyone loves James," she said. "He knows everyone, and they all love him."
Michniak is shy around people until he gets to know them, but he did say he was "excited" about going to the prom and to be selected for the court.
"The prom is going to be nice," he said. "The prom is going to be fun."
Jamie Taylor may be reached at [email protected].
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