Paul Creech
Paul Creech is a loving, happy and joyous 11-year-old boy. His teachers, Mrs. Gowen and Mrs. Bourbon, say his energy and enthusiasm bring joy to their classroom. Not to mention he always has a smile to share and a hug to give.
Paul has an intellectual disability as well as speech and language impairments. These challenges have zero effect on his social energy and his ability to “work a crowd like the best politician,” says his teachers. Even when he doesn’t feel well, you can still see him muster the strength to give his expected hugs. The love he has for being with other adults and students and heightening their mood is nothing short of astonishing.
His teachers say there is no one like Paul Creech and that he is the “light and love of the Hillsboro School District.” Mr. Fred Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”, the old PBS series, once said that the problem with the word “disabilities” is that it suggests an inability to do something. Paul may be the one who teaches everyone around him that there are some things that he can do much better than those around him.