Emily's Story
Currently, Emily holds many different titles including college student, teacher, national spokesperson and pageant contestant and winner. Emily is a junior at Mid-Continent University where she is working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Arts. Her Scholastic honors are endless. She has made the Presidential list with a GPA of 4.0 with honors. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Mu Alpha Theta. Emily also had the honor of accepting her role as an Illinois State Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society.
Aside from her many commitments, Emily still finds time to compete in local and national beauty pageants. Emily is currently Miss Southern Illinois and has been named Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen in 2008. She was also the second runner-up to the Illinois State Fair Queen in 2011. In 2009, Emily had the opportunity to open the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas. With all of her accolades in the pageant world, Emily has been honored with the opportunity to delve into the modeling world as well. She has worked along side Stacy Schieffelin as a QVC model and is very passionate about the cosmetic line called “Be Your Best Friend” in which the models are not altered in any way to portray unattainable perfection. Their motto is that you are the best you and that is what is truly beautiful.
Mareena's Story
In 1991, Emily Travis was born to a Native American mother who was addicted to alcohol and cocaine. Shortly thereafter, a loving couple adopted her. With a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Emily never felt as though she was alone in her struggles. Her reliance on her family and God gave her hope for the future. Emily says that her invisible disorder has taught her lessons that she may not have otherwise learned. For Emily, her diagnosis with FAS presented her with a path to success that may not have been so ordinary, but it was the right path for her.
Currently, Emily holds many different titles including college student, teacher, national spokesperson and pageant contestant and winner. Emily is a junior at Mid-Continent University where she is working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Arts. Her Scholastic honors are endless. She has made the Presidential list with a GPA of 4.0 with honors. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Mu Alpha Theta. Emily also had the honor of accepting her role as an Illinois State Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society.
Emily has also had success in being a leader. Aside from her lead roles in plays and musicals, Emily also enjoys teaching several different classes. She is now involved in educating professors in a continuing education class on FAS at Shawnee Community College. She also enjoys teaching a Vacation Bible School and a summer Bible camp in Monterrey, Mexico. Emily is fluent in Spanish as the Spanish club president, so she was able to interpret and teach the children in Mexico about her religion that she holds so near to her heart.
As the National Spokesperson for The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Emily continues to educate others about her disability in order to make it more visible in society. She has been chosen as 1 of 12 in the nation to represent the Self-Advocates with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Action (SAFA), which is leading her in the direction she needs to be heading in order to accomplish her goals.
Aside from her many commitments, Emily still finds time to compete in local and national beauty pageants. Emily is currently Miss Southern Illinois and has been named Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen in 2008. She was also the second runner-up to the Illinois State Fair Queen in 2011. In 2009, Emily had the opportunity to open the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas. With all of her accolades in the pageant world, Emily has been honored with the opportunity to delve into the modeling world as well. She has worked along side Stacy Schieffelin as a QVC model and is very passionate about the cosmetic line called “Be Your Best Friend” in which the models are not altered in any way to portray unattainable perfection. Their motto is that you are the best you and that is what is truly beautiful.
When Emily has some free time, she is active on her home farm and loves to be outdoors with her family and friends. She has worked as a lifeguard and enjoyed having the opportunity to make sure others are swimming safely. Playing the piano is also one of Emily’s passions along with the “green” movement. Her continuation in the pageant world will afford her many opportunities, but Emily has one goal in mind. She wants to compete in the Miss America pageant one day and uphold the four points of the crown: style, service, success and scholarship. Emily Travis has chosen the path to success that is right for her. She will continue to provide hope to those individuals affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
Mareena's Story
When Mareena Mattison was just 16 days old, she was placed
with her adoptive family through DCFS. Unbeknownst to Wendy, Mareena’s mother,
she was about to begin a journey with her daughter that is full of insights,
triumphs and challenges; all proving that, without a doubt, Mareena is a very
special person. Mareena started off life as “failure to thrive”. Due to
multiple delays, she quickly started in the Early Intervention Program when she
turned three months old. It was mentioned in Early Intervention that Mareena showed
signs of multiple exposures. So, at 18 months old, Mareena was given a
diagnosis of full FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome). A year later, her adoption was
finalized.
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At age 3, after Early Intervention, Mareena entered a mainstream public school system with a special needs preschool program. Mareena began school with an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, and she still has one today, in 4th grade. As she grew up, Mareena participated in a number of different sports including soccer, baseball, and basketball but she never seemed to be able to keep up with the team or keep from being distracted. The only sport that Mareena felt comfortable in was gymnastics; an individual sport.
Back, years earlier, after her diagnosis, Wendy recognized
that Mareena had little midline and showed challenges with body awareness and
her balance; that these would be a constant part of Mareena’s life with FAS. So
Mareena’s parents started her in tumbling. Having training in theatre, Wendy taught Mareena how to fall without hurting herself. Wendy knew Mareena liked
gymnastics, but what she did not know, was how well and adept Mareena is when
it comes to gymnastics! Once Mareena began gymnastics, she showed more than an
interest in the sport, her distraction level decreased as did her midline and
sensory challenges. They only got better as she continued in gymnastics over
the years.
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Mareena began tumbling in park district classes; soon she was literally doing cartwheels around other children so she moved on to a gym for more personalized training. Eventually, Mareena started struggling with the pace that her coaches demanded of their athletes as well as the sheer number of co-athletes in her class. Although she was developing well through gymnastics, Mareena was eventually removed from the gym because of a series of unfortunate events. In the end, although they were fully aware of her invisible disability and had even done some education on it for her coaching, Mareena needed more than they could provide, supervised individualized intervention was needed, It was time for specialized gymnastics.
A few times over the years, Wendy had been recommended to a
specific program for Mareena (recommended by others, not the gym that she
attended) but she hesitated because she did not think that Mareena’s disability
was “severe” enough. However, many parents of kids with FAS will tell you that
there is no magic line for a “severity of a disability” and FAS can fool anyone
(including a parent).
At Elk Grove Gymnastics, Mareena was enrolled in Coach Glen
Mark’s special gymnastics program for kids & adult with a disability; the
Superstars. Through her Special Olympics, International Olympics coach and the guidance
of peer coaches, Mareena started to excel and develop the natural talent she
already possessed for gymnastics. Although Wendy knew of the Special Olympics, she
was apprehensive about Mareena participating because she did not “look” like she
had a disability. Coach Marks quickly assured her that Mareena can participate
and reminded her that not all disabilities are visible to others.
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Because of the effects of exposures (leading to FAS or an FASD), Mareena has
unknown brain damage, impulsivity and comprehension issues, plus she is not,
nor will she probably be as flexible or graceful as the other gymnastics, BUT,
although she is small, she is powerful and strong. Mareena and her coaches
utilize her strength as well as developing her flexibility.
In June 2011, Mareena placed silver in Special Olympics
gymnastics for the state of Illinois. In April 2012, Mareena turned 10. Then in
May 2012 she, her coaches and co-athletes traveled to Atlanta, GA. for a
national competition. Mareena brought home the bronze medal from nationals. And
still, Mareena’s journey continues. She will be competing for gold in June 2012
at the Illinois State Summer Special Olympics Games. Fans are welcome to travel
to ISU, watch and support her & all of the athletes!
Mareena has successes in her sport, but it does not stop with
the physical impact of the sport. Mareena’s math abilities have increased also because
of gymnastics. She finds herself helping to be responsible for calculating the
distances for warm-ups, dismounts and performances on the parallel bars, vault
and balance beam. She must also figure out how much space and distance is
needed in order to complete her moves on the tumbling floor. Mareena’s reading
ability has improved as well because she is involved in the paper work that is
necessary for her to compete – plus she likes reading gymnastic articles and
stories. Mareena’s muscle coordination has also improved over her time as a
gymnast. In the past, as a toddler, Mareena was unable to pedal a tricycle and
now she is able to ride a 2 wheel bicycle flawlessly. With the help of Coach Glen and peer coaches,
Stephanie, Theresa, Jenna, Gina, Amelia and more, Mareena will continue to
excel in gymnastics.
Mareena’s successes are also enhanced by the role modeling
of Emily Travis and her family. Emily is another victim of preventable prenatal
exposures, yet she is a successful person; a musician, a beauty pageant winner
(including Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen) and she is now a college student.
Although they have never met, Emily influences Mareena; Mareena started playing
instruments (piano & cello), participates in Girl Scouts, sings in the
church choirs and eagerly pursues her love for animals (she hopes to be a vet
someday). Like Emily, she is not stopping herself. Although there are aspects
that Mareena still needs to work through, she lives by the belief her parents have
always told her, “You may have FAS, but it doesn’t have you.”
Update: Mareena took the gold medal in every event (vault, uneven bars, floor, and beam) in the Illinois State Summer Special Olympics! She also took home the gold for all-around as well. That makes five gold medals! She is now ranked #1 in the state of Illinois and #3 Nationwide. Mareena, along with her loving family, is very proud of her accomplishments.
Balance Beam
Uneven Bars
Vault
SO INSPIRING!!!
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