Korey's Special Speech 

Written and Illustrated by Kayley Huskonen

Meet Korey. Korey is a bright boy who is nine years old. He loves playing basketball and reading novels. He likes to play his favorite video games. He even has disagreements with his siblings. 

The one thing Korey does not like is speaking. Korey has a stutter. Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by repetition of sounds, syllables, words,; and interruptions in speech. This means when Korey speaks, the words he wants to say do not always come out the way he wants. 

Korey often tries to avoid presenting his work or speaking aloud in front of his peers. Speaking in front of his peers gives him anxiety. Korey gets butterflies in his stomach every time he is called on to read. Can you imagine Korey's anxiety when he was picked to give the whole school a speech on Presidents' Day?

Korey went home that night worried. 

Korey said to his mother, “III dont wwwwant to speeakk infront of ttthe school.” 

Korey's mother asked, “Are you nervous to speak in front of the school because of your stutter?”

Korey responded a bit embarrassed, “yyyyesss mom, I dont like my stttuttterrr.” 

Korey's mom said, “Well Korey, that is what makes you, you!  It is part of what makes you so special.  You were picked to deliver this speech because the teacher knows YOU CAN DO IT!"

Korey responded: “Bbbut Mom I will embarssss myself.” 

His mom told him, “There are famous presidents and people who  stutter, it is nothing to be ashamed of!” 

“Yeahhh righhtt like who Mom?” asked Korey.

Mom replied,  “Well our current president now! Mr. Joe Biden! 

 “Wow, the president stutters like me?” questioned Korey.

 “Yes! Now go practice your speech!” said Mom.

The president is like me!?