Victor-Martin, Diane and John

Raising and educating a child is never easy. But the amount of love, dedication, and patience required to raise a child with a mental disability is beyond most reckoning. This video follows a year in the lives of three students at Montreal's Summit School, where a program is designed for each individual, according to his or her abilities and requirements. We witness the remarkable efforts of the students - Victor-Martin (6), Diane (12) and John (20) - their parents, counsellors, and their teachers, as they work together to accomplish tasks that would be considered unremarkable for most young people. Victor-Martin struggles to sit still for 15 minutes. A speech pathologist helps Diane with her pronunciation. John is tutored in life and work skills so that he can fulfil Summit School's ultimate goal: integration into society. The three are special, but they are also real people with the same hopes, frustrations, angers, and joys as anyone else. Victor-Martin, Diane and John were born with handicaps, but they are not less than others. This film captures all the poignancy of their struggles.