Thanks to a Mexico third grader, a special education teacher at Hawthorne Elementary School now has tools to help kids dealing with mental health stresses.

DeAzhane Smith and her daughter, Audraina, presented special education teacher Kelsey Stephens with a Coping Corners package at her classroom last Friday, Aug. 11. The package was provided by Woodward Community Based Services out of Urbandale, Iowa. Program manager for behavioral health intervention services Katelyn Brandt, a Mexico native, was also present for the occasion. 

Brandt said she noticed Audraina from a story DeAzhane shared on Facebook about her daughter’s experience this past summer at the Miss Missouri Pagent participating in the Little Sister’s program. Brandt said when she read Audraina wanted to help kids with autism she knew she wanted her to connect with the program. Now, Audraina is the national ambassador for Missouri’s program.

“It’s so cool to see a kid, especially her age, wants to help kids with autism,” Brandt said. “You don’t see kids that young already understanding.”

Audraina was allowed to choose a teacher in Mexico that she wanted to help. Stephens, who has a daughter that is friends with Audraina, was chosen.

“I am in disbelief and I feel honored,” Stephens told the Ledger. “It is very special to me that kiddos and the next generation are thinking about special education kids and kids with special needs.”

The coping corners kit comes with items that help kids who are having a mental health episode or a tantrum calm down. 

“At school, kids feel more safe usually because they’re with teachers and their friends so they tend to act out and act on their behaviors,” Brandt explained. “This coping center will allow kids if they have a behavior or a tantrum they can come over to this coping center and just relax.”

Audraina has a chance to help more teachers. As part of the program if she maintains good grades each quarter she will get to award another Coping Corners kit to a different teacher. Brandt asked Audriana if she was up to handling the responsibility to which she nodded her head.

“I want to make sure she is her best self and this is a way to give her a little small reward,” Brandt said. “The next time she does it she will have to write a paper about why the teacher deserves it.”

When asked why she wants to help kids with autism Audriana explained that her brother was diagnosed with autism and she wants him and others to feel safe.

“I want to reach out to all the kids with autism to feel safer and have a safer environment for the world and for them to feel safe and loved,” Audriana said.

DeAzhane said her daughter is getting to work on a toy drive this October and doing other things to help.

“It’s really dear to our hearts now that my son is diagnosed with autism,” DeAzhane said. “I love that she has such a big heart at such a young age.”

DeAzhane said she likes the little bit of extra pressure on Audriana to perform well in school and be rewarded with helping others. She knows her daughter is up to the task.

“She’s really good academically but I feel like it will give her that extra push,” DeAzhane said. “This is really dear to her heart and she really wants to do it.”

Stephens said at her school they have talked about making safer spaces for kids with special needs and what Audriana is doing fits what they need. Stephens said she expects more coping corners to show up in classrooms thanks to Audriana.

“She’s going to make some big changes,” Stephens said. “She’s a special girl and she’s going to go far.”

Brandt said kids like Audriana are going to lead the way.

“I want her to be the positive light for Mexico and I think she will be that and that’s what Mexico needs,” Brandt said.