Join Betsy Boone, a passionate advocate for families with special needs and co-founder of the KennedyStrong Foundation. You’ll hear her share her views on inclusion and raising a child with special needs. Betsy is a happily married, working mother of four kids including a set of twins in which one of them, Kennedy, was born with the gift of an extra chromosome commonly referred to as Down Syndrome. Her mission is to educate and empower others to raise awareness about the unique challenges parents face in finding inclusive communities that support their loved ones with special needs. She discusses the importance of fostering environments that embrace inclusion, not just in schools, but in employment opportunities and independent living. Tune in to hear how Betsy and the KennedyStrong Foundation are working tirelessly to create a world where inclusion is the standard, not the exception.
Five years ago, FitKids Sports and the KennedyStrong Foundation teamed up with one goal: to make summer camp a place where every child belongs.
In this episode, Coach D (Doug Deffenbaugh) sits down with five amazing coaches — Andrew Brissie, Cooper Bookhart, David Boone, Sidney Deffenbaugh, and Jordan White— from the FitKids Sports Inclusive Camp to talk about what happens when inclusion moves from intention to action.
They share what they’ve learned about leadership, empathy, and teamwork as they create a space that’s safe, constructive, and full of fun for all campers — those with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
For parents of typical kids:Discover how an inclusive camp environment helps your child build confidence, compassion, and friendships that last well beyond summer.
For parents of kids with disabilities:Hear what makes FitKids Sports a trusted partner with the KennedyStrong Foundation — and how coaches are trained to support and celebrate your child’s strengths while ensuring a positive camp experience.
For teens and parents of high schoolers:Looking for a meaningful way to spend your summer? Learn what it’s like to coach or volunteer in a program that’s making a real difference in the lives of kids and families.
Listen now to Building a Village and hear how inclusion changes lives — one camp, one coach, and one camper at a time.
Get involved today! Visit KennedyStrongFoundation.org to:
Register for upcoming inclusive events and camps
Learn how to volunteer or apply to coach
Join the movement to build a more inclusive community
28 Jul 2025
What You Should Know About Middle School with Vickie Vila
Parenting through the middle school years is a wild ride—and even more so when you’re raising a child with special needs.
In this open and deeply honest episode, Vickie Vila shares her family’s journey as her son Nino navigated middle school during COVID, while managing speech delays, behavior challenges, and the impact of
puberty.
From general ed classrooms to behavior intervention plans, Vickie gives a real-world look at what worked, what surprised her, and what she wishes she had known going in.
You’ll hear about:
The power of visual supports and scaffolding
How puberty + social inexperience can throw you for a loop
The importance of routines, independence, and respectful communication
The role of community inclusion, peer support, and positive school relationships
Why typical and special needs parents need each other
Whether you’re a parent of a child with disabilities, a parent of a typical child, or an educator, this conversation brings both practical advice and heartfelt wisdom.
Vickie reminds us that every child benefits from strong routines, community inclusion, and confidence-building experiences—and that
we're all doing our best.
“United we stand.” Tune in for real talk, shared laughs, and an invitation to grow the village—together.
30 Jun 2025
Camp, Inclusion, and the Power of Play — A Conversation with My 10-Year-Old Twins
Host Betsy interviews Jacob and Kennedy, her twins, about their experiences at an inclusive sports camp, highlighting the benefits of adaptive programs for all children.
21 May 2025
Elementary School
Starting Kennedy in Elementary school means preparing Kennedy, the family, her teachers, and her classmates.
22 Apr 2025
Early Intervention and Preschool
Betsy Boone, co-founder of Kennedy Strong Foundation, discusses raising her child, Kennedy, who has intellectual and developmental disabilities. The focus is on early intervention and preschool years, highlighting the significant differences in caring for a child with disabilities compared to a child without. Betsy shares personal experiences, including working with caseworkers, speech therapists, and physical therapists.
21 Mar 2025
Diagnosis Day
Experience the awakening a diagnosis can have on your mind and your life.
What if you were given a diagnosis that would change the trajectory of your life and it involved your family as well?
In this episode Betsy shares the memory and the emotions that come up when she hears the words Nuchal Fold and how that led to receiving confirmation of Down syndrome. You'll be reminded of the strange words Dr's use when describing something foreign and the journey that takes you on as you research and navigate what those words mean and what they'll mean to you.
You'll have an opportunity to consider your own thoughts and feelings about people with disabilities and how you look at them or interact with them. You'll receive ideas on how to introduce concepts to your children and your family.
Most importantly you'll be asked to look for beauty in all the things.
We are wired for survival and many folks have their minds closed to protect themselves, however, when our minds, hearts and bodies are closed off we also prevent ourselves from feeling joy and beauty.
Enjoy the ride through those first several weeks of the pregnancy diagnosis through the diagnosis of the chromosomal condition all the way through some ways you can diagnose your own mind on acceptance.
Thank you for listening to this podcast—Please share it and get the word out!
What did you hear that you connected with? Send us a comment!
14 Feb 2025
Meet Kennedy
Betsy is a happily married, working mother of four kids including a set of twins in which one of them, Kennedy, was born with the gift of an extra chromosome commonly referred to as Down syndrome. Her mission is to educate and empower others to raise awareness about the unique challenges parents face in finding inclusive communities that support their loved ones with special needs. She discusses the importance of fostering environments that embrace inclusion, not just in schools, but in employment opportunities and independent living.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
735
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 22 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
18
Social presence
0
YouTube
64
Engagement
0
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