{"id":260,"date":"2016-05-01T17:56:35","date_gmt":"2016-05-01T17:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/?p=260"},"modified":"2017-05-26T19:12:17","modified_gmt":"2017-05-26T19:12:17","slug":"student-wont-let-debilitating-disease-stop-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/2016\/05\/01\/student-wont-let-debilitating-disease-stop-him\/","title":{"rendered":"Student Won&#8217;t Let Debilitating Disease Stop Him"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>When we first met Chance Hawkins, he was getting ready to start ninth\u00a0grade at Fort Worth\u2019s Dunbar High School. He&#8217;s now a junior.\u00a0<\/em><em>He has all the junior year challenges of his classmates, but his personal\u00a0challenge is even bigger. He\u2019s a battling a degenerative muscle disease.\u00a0<\/em><em>And that makes life more complicated. <\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Chance will be the first to tell you that he doesn\u2019t dwell on what he can\u2019t do.<\/p>\n<p>That he can\u2019t walk. That he can\u2019t get up without the help of an aide. That he can\u2019t get ready for school every morning without his big brother right there with him, cleaning his face with a washcloth or putting toothpaste on a toothbrush.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_84\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.46.40-PM-300x170.png\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" width=\"300\" height=\"170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.46.40-PM-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.46.40-PM-768x435.png 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.46.40-PM-1024x580.png 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.46.40-PM-1360x771.png 1360w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.46.40-PM-800x453.png 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.46.40-PM-450x255.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" >Chance Hawkins has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Photo\/Mark Birbaum<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cI know nobody in this world is perfect, and God didn\u2019t it want it to perfect,&#8221; Chance says. &#8220;Because if it was perfect, everybody would just feel like &#8216;Oh, we all perfect, so we all have nothing to worry about.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Chance has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic disorder that affects one in 3,600 boys. Over time, the muscles progressively weaken. In most cases, death comes by age 25.<\/p>\n<p>In his family, Chance isn\u2019t alone in his battle.<\/p>\n<p>His younger brother, Louis, has Duchenne, too. Chance, like everyone else, calls him Junior.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been through this, so I know everything. I know what people are gonna say. I just try to keep him to stay strong, to just don\u2019t worry about what people say,\u201d Chance says.<\/p>\n<h5>VIDEO: A Day In The Life Of Chance Hawkins<\/h5>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YN4ZK8iP0P4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h5>SCHOOL: A SOCIAL OUTLET AND A STRUGGLE<\/h5>\n<p>Chance glides down the hallways at Dunbar\u00a0in his motorized wheelchair.<\/p>\n<p>The teachers all know him. Students call out his name. He smiles. He likes the attention.<\/p>\n<p>School is Chance\u2019s social outlet.\u00a0He likes arriving early, so he can have &#8220;cafeteria time.&#8221; His favorite topic \u2014 music. He wants to record, like Chris Brown or Tupac.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_68\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-68 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.35.35-PM-300x169.png\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.35.35-PM-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.35.35-PM-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.35.35-PM-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.35.35-PM-1360x764.png 1360w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.35.35-PM-800x449.png 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.35.35-PM-450x253.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" >A student pushes Chance Hawkins down the hallway at Dunbar High in Fort Worth. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cI hang out with everybody,&#8221; Chance says. &#8220;\u2018Cause you know, I\u2019m like, I\u2019m the popular kid, so anybody who wants to sit with me, I\u2019ll be with them. Yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the academic side, Chance has his struggles. He hasn\u2019t passed the end-of-year exams for English 1 or 2. And that makes him mad.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I don\u2019t pass that, then there\u2019s no way I can go to college,&#8221; he says. &#8220;There\u2019s no way I can even pass high school.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If Chance doesn&#8217;t clear those hurdles, he&#8217;ll have to prep and retake the tests.<\/p>\n<p>He has the help of an aide \u2014 Reuben Vaughn, who was assigned to Chance at the beginning of the school year.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_76\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-76 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.42.10-PM-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.42.10-PM-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.42.10-PM-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.42.10-PM-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.42.10-PM-1360x765.png 1360w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.42.10-PM-800x450.png 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.42.10-PM-450x253.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" >Chance Hawkins and his aide, Reuben Vaughn, during Algebra II at Dunbar High School in Fort Worth. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The former college football coach sits beside Chance, helping him take notes and making sure he understands the assignments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe wants to succeed. I can see that,&#8221; Vaughn said. &#8220;He may want to act like some students do, like &#8216;I don\u2019t really care about this.&#8217; He cares. You can see it in his reaction. You can see it sometimes in his disappointment if he doesn\u2019t get something right away.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Vaughn said Chance struggles most with math. Fortunately, that\u2019s Vaughn\u2019s strength, so he\u2019s able to help him.<\/p>\n<p>He said working with Chance has had an impact on him, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt allows me to be a little bit more patient with him than probably what some people may or may not be,&#8221; Vaughn says. &#8220;Some people probably wouldn\u2019t want to work with him (for whatever reason) because they don\u2019t want to have to deal with that.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"quotemark \"><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI get a great respect for my mom. &#8230; \u00a0I didn\u2019t understand. I didn\u2019t understand for years growing up. &#8230; The stuff she had to go through.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"quote-source\">Clarice Hawkins, Chance's mom<\/div><div class=\"quote-rating-0\"><\/div><\/div>\n<h5>DUCHENNE IS A FAMILY AFFAIR<\/h5>\n<p>Chance lives with his mom, dad and four siblings in a modest home in South Forth Worth. The house next door is boarded up.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_89\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-89 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.52.23-PM-300x170.png\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" width=\"300\" height=\"170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.52.23-PM-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.52.23-PM-768x434.png 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.52.23-PM-1024x579.png 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.52.23-PM-1360x769.png 1360w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.52.23-PM-800x452.png 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.52.23-PM-450x254.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" >Chance Hawkins and his younger brother, Junior, often hang out at home on the weekends. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/p><\/div>\n<p>His mom knows all too well the challenges of raising boys with Duchenne. Clarice Hawkins had three brothers who died from the disease.<\/p>\n<p>Life can get overwhelming.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI get a great respect for my mom,&#8221; Clarice Hawkins says. She\u00a0starts to cry. &#8220;I didn\u2019t understand. I didn\u2019t understand for years growing up. &#8230; The stuff she had to go through.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One brother lived to age 15. Another, 14. A third died at 13. So Chance\u2019s 18th birthday this month was a huge milestone.<\/p>\n<!-- meta slider -->\n<div style=\"max-width: 750px;\" class=\"metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-280 ml-slider\">\n    \n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_280\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_280\">\n            <ul class=\"slides\">\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-87 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.48.21-PM-750x400.png\" height=\"400\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" class=\"slider-280 slide-87\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins at Dunbar High School in Fort Worth. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-88 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.49.01-PM-750x400.png\" height=\"400\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" class=\"slider-280 slide-88\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins in French class. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-78 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.43.15-PM-750x400.png\" height=\"400\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" class=\"slider-280 slide-78\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins' aide, Reuben Vaughn, helps explain difficult concepts to him in Algebra II. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-74 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.40.36-PM-750x400.png\" height=\"400\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" class=\"slider-280 slide-74\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Aide Reuben Vaughn and Chance Hawkins listen during his math class. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-63 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.28.16-PM-750x400.png\" height=\"400\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" class=\"slider-280 slide-63\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Students talk with Chance Hawkins in French class at Dunbar High. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-61 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.26.03-PM-750x400.png\" height=\"400\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" class=\"slider-280 slide-61\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins in the hallway of Dunbar High School. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-82 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.45.05-PM-750x400.png\" height=\"400\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" class=\"slider-280 slide-82\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">\u201cI want to go into acting, \u2019cause \u2026 I\u2019m really funny,\u201d Chance Hawkins says. \u201cEverybody loves me.\u201d Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        var metaslider_280 = function($) {\n            $('#metaslider_280').addClass('flexslider'); \/\/ theme\/plugin conflict avoidance\n            $('#metaslider_280').flexslider({ \n                slideshowSpeed:3000,\n                animation:\"fade\",\n                controlNav:true,\n                directionNav:true,\n                pauseOnHover:true,\n                direction:\"horizontal\",\n                reverse:false,\n                animationSpeed:600,\n                prevText:\"&lt;\",\n                nextText:\"&gt;\",\n                slideshow:true\n            });\n        };\n        var timer_metaslider_280 = function() {\n            var slider = !window.jQuery ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_280, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_280, 1) : metaslider_280(window.jQuery);\n        };\n        timer_metaslider_280();\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n<!--\/\/ meta slider-->\n<p>As Chance gets older, the weekends can be tough because he isn&#8217;t able to leave the house much, he said. He said he\u2019d be happy just hanging out at the mall, riding around in his wheelchair just to get to out.<\/p>\n<p>Chance said if the family had a van that could accommodate them, he could go to more places. He said his mom has talked about it for awhile, but she\u00a0tells him to be patient.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn the weekend, I\u2019ll be very sad because &#8230; all other my other siblings, they get to go anywhere they want to go,&#8221; Chance says. &#8220;I\u2019m just stuck at home with my little brother,\u00a0and we both can\u2019t really do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hawkins\u00a0said things were different when her mother was raising kids.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI never recall my mom taking my brothers to the doctors as much as I take my kids to the doctor. I never recall her being up through the night,&#8221; she says. &#8220;Ordering nurse supplies or having the help that I have. I mean I\u2019m just blessed that I\u2019m surrounded by a lot of love, a lot of family.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"quotemark \">\u00a0\u201cI want to go into acting, &#8217;cause &#8230; I\u2019m really funny. Everybody loves me.\u201d <div class=\"quote-source\">Chance Hawkins, high school junior<\/div><div class=\"quote-rating-0\"><\/div><\/div>\n<h5>Unsure About The\u00a0Future<\/h5>\n<p>At Dunbar, Rondy Dunn teaches U.S. history. He says he&#8217;s been trying to build Chance\u2019s confidence by telling him he can\u00a0go to college.<\/p>\n<p>Dunn said college changed his life, and he told Chance it will change his life, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe majority of college is reading and understanding what you read and then being able to regurgitate it in any class,&#8221; Dunn says.\u00a0&#8220;He can do that very well now. So I\u2019m saying, \u2018Dude, you can go to college.&#8217; And I keep pushing him \u2013 \u2018Where are you going to go to school? When are you going to apply?\u2019 It\u2019s my job not to allow him to fail himself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Chance isn\u2019t sure about college. What he\u2019d really like to do? Acting school.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to go into acting, &#8217;cause &#8230; I\u2019m really funny,&#8221; he says. &#8220;Everybody loves me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, there are those musical dreams. This summer, he plans to record some tracks. One of his inspirations? A rapper who died two decades ago: Tupac Shakur.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_81\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.44.39-PM-1024x574.png\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins, Photo\/Mark Birbaum\" width=\"900\" height=\"504\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.44.39-PM-1024x574.png 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.44.39-PM-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.44.39-PM-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.44.39-PM-1360x762.png 1360w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.44.39-PM-800x449.png 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-10-at-12.44.39-PM-450x252.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" >Chance Hawkins in the Dunbar High School library. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5>Read more about Chance Hawkins<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/class-17-fort-worth-student-rare-disease-aide-makes-all-difference?\" target=\"_blank\">Class Of \u201917: For Fort Worth Student With Rare Disease, Aide Makes All The Difference<\/a>\u00a0(2015)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/class-17-working-his-independence\" target=\"_blank\">Class Of \u201917: Working On His Independence<\/a>\u00a0(2014)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/meet-class-17-fighting-through-physical-limits-sunny-disposition\" target=\"_blank\">Meet The Class Of \u201917: Fighting Through Physical Limits With A Sunny Disposition<\/a>\u00a0(2013)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/class-17-another-chance-high-school\" target=\"_blank\">Class Of \u201917: Another Chance At High School<\/a>\u00a0(2013)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/class-17-finding-way-through-high-school\" target=\"_blank\">Class Of \u201917: Finding A Way Through High School<\/a>\u00a0(2013)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When we first met Chance Hawkins, he was getting ready&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":60,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[25,26],"class_list":["post-260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-graduate-class-of-17","tag-american-graduate-class-of-17","tag-chance-hawkins","post_format-post-format-audio","byline-stella-m-chavez"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=260"}],"version-history":[{"count":56,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":319,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260\/revisions\/319"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}