A Special Winter Graduation at Waukee High School

Amy Llewellyn is a special education teacher at Waukee High School, with a special desire to help all of her students.

“I really love just getting to know the students, what their goals are and setting them up to meet those goals when they leave the high school,” says Llewellyn.

Amy’s class works with students from the ages of 18-24 who are staying in high school, just a little extra. They are working on independence and on-the-job training.

Mrs. Llewellyn works with dozens of students each year, developing some powerful connections including one recently with Andy McKool.

“Andy and I spent a lot of time together during his time here. He was somebody who would talk to me about anything going on his life,” says Llewellyn.

Andy was on a mission to graduate.

“His goal was to always be done in December. I told him I supported that goal if he had the living and working supports in place,” says Llewellyn.

But the timing associated with mid-year graduations can be tricky. But that’s when Amy had an idea.

“I know graduation was a big deal for him and I just wanted him to have that graduation experience, because it is a once in a lifetime thing,” said the veteran teacher.

This was a moment they weren’t willing to miss. Thanks to a lot hard work and creativity, we had a graduation ceremony for Andy.

“We were on the stage and with Mrs. Roland and we did a graduation with my step-mom, my dad, my aunt, my grandpa, my grandma were all there,” says Andy, the most recent Waukee 12+ graduate.

“I knew it was going to be something he would remember and something that would make him feel special, so I wanted to make sure he had that experience,” adds Llewellyn.

The student-teacher experience is special and powerful, so it’s no surprise that when we asked Andy about his favorite part of Waukee his answer was the teacher who went the extra mile to make his big day even better.

“My favorite part, meeting Mrs. Llewellyn,” said Andy.

That connection goes both ways.

“His mom took a picture of the two of us and then she sent it to me, I have it saved on my phone. That will be a big one that I’ll keep for awhile.”