Rankin124web

KIDS WHO CARE
Kelby
Desper
PolkMistie
CHANGING THE WORLD
ONE FRIENDSHIP AT A TIME...
Pearl Junior High School 8th grader
Kelby Polk may just be “treating everyone the
way the Bible tells us,” but to her peers and
community, she is changing lives of those
around her. Kelby’s family, dad Jeff, mom
Robin, and sister Callie, are invested in their
home church, Truitt Baptist. There, Kelby
helps her mom in the preschool Sunday
school class and enjoys any activity the church
hosts where she can serve others. “I really
enjoy helping with the little kids.”
Also active in school with theater, archery,
and band, Kelby is a typical teenage girl that
enjoys movies, shopping, and hanging out
with friends. Shying away from some of the
social norms of today, Kelby and her best
friend, Casey, are showing the world that
there is so much love and respect between
them and they are just normal best friends,
despite Casey’s special needs.
Kelby met Casey through their church
seven years ago and had an “instant bond.”
Casey is a few years younger than Kelby, but
they share a deep connection with one
another. “I love her so much. She is like a
little sister. When we met, we quickly
became best friends.”
Casey’s mom, Rachel Roberts, said,
“People like Kelby see the world with so
much compassion. It is so easy to get lost in
the hurdles of being a special needs parent.
It can be so isolating and full of fear. She
shows Casey how she is worthy of love and
respect, and it is such an encouragement to
us all. Even when Casey was mistreated by
others, Kelby supported her. Her heart just
doesn’t understand how others can be so
hurtful.”
Kelby added, “I am believer in what the
Bible tells me which is to treat everyone with
love and do unto others as you’d want them
to do to you. I want everyone to treat Casey
well and with the same respect as anyone
else. We all need to be there for each other.”
Robin added, “She has always loved
helping. I had two strokes a few years ago
and she stepped right in doing whatever I
needed of her. Kelby just always wants to do
the right thing by everyone. She is very much
a rule follower. God knows our plans always
and giving me Kelby, especially as an older
mom, has been such a blessing. She has so
much compassion for life, for church, and for
God. I couldn’t be more proud of who she is.”
Kelby grew up having a family member
with a physical disability, and often went to
work with mom, Robin, at Hudspeth
Regional Center where she gained a true
understanding of how people could be
treated because they were different. This
deepened Kelby’s love of people in general and
she saw, early on, the value and importance of
everyone, no matter their physical or mental
challenges. Robin said, “She just simply has a
good heart.” Kelby said, “It makes me think
of my favorite Bible verse, Jeremiah 29:11,
which says, ‘For I know the plans I have for
you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future.’ Everyone should be treated the
same, especially those with special needs.”
Best friend Casey added, “Kelby is my
friend and I love her.”
Kelby’s former teacher, Ginger Plaisance,
already knew she was “always willing to help
a classmate” but noticed her more because of
her friendship with Casey. Having a daughter
with Down syndrome, Ginger admits the
worry she feels about how her daughter will
be treated. “Knowing that there are still kids
like Kelby out there gives me hope for her
future, a hope that she will also be seen and
recognized and loved for the person she is
rather than a label society sees.”
When asked how she felt about being a
role model for other young ladies who
witness her love and compassion for others,
she concluded, “I think it is great to be
looked up to and it’s such an honor to be
noticed. I think it is important to be yourself
and to be nice and respectful to everyone
you meet. I heard a quote once that I have
always loved, ‘Be the woman who fixes
another woman’s crown without telling the
world it was crooked.’”
Although only in the 8th grade, Kelby
hopes to pursue a career in the law field one
day and be an advocate for those who need a
voice. Kelby is changing the lives of those
around her and showing others the importance
of grace and kindness towards others.
Hometown RANKIN • 45