Adele Berardi harkened back to a time when life was simpler, when her main responsibility was to help a little girl in the same classroom.

“We had a special needs girl in my class. Her name was Kim,” Berardi started, speaking softly. “The teacher assigned me to be her helper. You know, take her to the bathroom, help her with her letters, lots of different stuff. It was a seminal point in my life, and I’m firmly convinced that’s what made me pursue teaching, specifically special education.”