Spotlight Our Youth with Jadon Cole Muller

Seeing past the outer appearance is something that Jadon Cole Muller lives every day. Not only does he live it, he strives to teach this ethos to as many people as possible. This 11-year-old fifth grader is well beyond his years with a heart for people with disabilities. Stemming from how he has watched people react to his older sister, Chloe, who has cerebral palsy (a brain injury that can impair coordination, motor skills, posture, speech, and cognitive abilities.) “I often see people reacting differently to her, staring at her or ignoring her, I developed a heart for people with disabilities” says Jadon. He is dedicating his time to change the way people with disabilities are treated and seen. As part of a districtwide challenge called ToastMasters, young Jadon created a speech that embodies his crusade. He received a perfect score but did not make it to the final round. Not only is he amazing, this young man is humble. He was not upset that he did not win but he was upset that he would not have a chance for more people to hear his speech. (You can read Jadon’s speech on page 74).
This last year, Jadon was inducted in the Circle of Friends Group at Emblem Elementary School. This program offered in public schools, is designed to encourage relationships with typical kids and kids with different disabilities mild to severe. Through this program, Jadon in his own words “gets the honor” to spend time with a buddy from Emblem Academy’s RAP (Regional Autism Program). “In the picture is one of our friends from CoF, Michael Jacobs. He’s really fun and he loves transformers,” Jadon shared. “I also get to be a buddy with the RAP preschool. Other classmates chose to be buddies with typical TK students, but I was so happy to get to help with Emblem’s RAP program again.”
Jadon takes inspiration from his mom, Katina Muller, (Miss Kat), who is a dance teacher and works with, many local dancers, students and children with special needs; and also teaches a dance class for Diverse Journeys, a non-profit organization that helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a dancer himself he assists his mom on many of these classes. “My mom asked if I wanted to help and I knew I would love it because I have a heart for that.” Speaking with Jadon you can see he is quite the old soul. The way he carries himself you forget he is only 11! When he is not helping his mom he is pursuing acting and dance. He has been in a lot of short films, student films commercials and theatre. He was featured in the Sugar Pine 7 series on YouTube and his most recent work is in the Escape production of Oliver.
Please follow Jadon on Instagram: @jadonboycole.