10 Feb 2025
Episode 32: Cosmo & Scarlett Duncan, with Catherine Armani-Munn
Cosmo Duncan is about to graduate from high school, in Burlington, Vermont, and embark on his life as an adult. Cosmo, who has Down Syndrome, sits down to talk with his mom, Scarlett Duncan, and occupational therapist Catherine Armani-Munn. They talk about what life has been like for the family in Vermont, Cosmo's new business, and some important differences between life in rural and urban Vermont.
"I think that it's really important to see the difference between the two Vermonts: the rural and the urban Vermont. And we are still good here in Burlington, but people who live in the boondocks? There's nothing there. And if the person does not have a driver's license, which a lot of people with developmental disabilities won't be able to have, then they're stuck." --Scarlett Duncan
https://youtu.be/GnqQGBGi13I?si=FTIeoSbHtREEniEK
A full transcript of the episode is available below.
Catherine: Welcome to Green Mountain Disability Stories. I'm so happy you're here today! And I'm going to introduce myself: so I'm Catherine Armani-Munn and I am an Occupational Therapist or OT, state consultant with the I-Team. And here today, we have... Cosmo, do you want to introduce yourself?
Cosmo: Cosmo Duncan. My name is Cosmo Duncan. I am 19 years old and I live with Down Syndrome. I have graduated with my friends, 2023, with my... But I spent longer time at the high school. I am a super senior. I will be alone--
Scarlett: Done.
Cosmo: ... I mean done with school this June.
Catherine: Thank you, Cosmo. And we also have?
Scarlett: Scarlett Duncan. I'm the mom, his guardian and his fierce advocate, if I may say so. I'm excited that we are here. I'm always excited if we can get stories out that encourage other parents or other therapists or teachers, whoever, and how this can run and how beautiful the stories can be if it works.
Catherine: Exactly. So today I've asked you, Cosmo and Scarlett, to share your story, but really focusing, like you said, Cosmo, you just graduated and you're really entering that next phase of life of becoming an adult and living on your own. So I'd love to talk about today what your leisure activities or what brings you joy, because you're going to be away from your school community soon. So really what you plan on doing once you leave school and you're out in the community and how you're going to find joy every day. So that's what I would love to hear your story.
Scarlett: Do you want to tell her that or do you want me to start you off?
Cosmo: Yeah. Start me off.
Scarlett: So maybe I give a little start-up, so he knows where to take off.
Catherine: Yeah, exactly. Maybe a little back.
Scarlett: So Cosmo is a super senior. That means he stays in the school's district even though he doesn't really have school anymore. He's supposed to get transition services and other services. Due to workforce problems and funding problems, that has been really sketchy. Up to now, they have not been able to find a job placement or even an internship that would make sense, because the funding for the program he was in stopped in the middle of the school year. But exciting news, as we don't seem to find the right placement, Cosmo is planning on his what?
Cosmo: I am having my own business.
Catherine: Oh, I can't wait to hear more about that.
Scarlett: So right now, that's his biggest thing. It's all worth it. He's totally for it.
Catherine: I believe that. So what have you found to be the best thing about the systems of support or the education that you've worked with here in Vermont, Scarlett or Cosmo?
Scarlett: So the best thing here in Vermont is that everybody ever in our, well except one or two exceptions, I shouldn't say everybody, but nearly everybody has always tried everything they could, and that was in their power to make things work. And as we are the pandemic generation up and running and also the PCV generation, which means we didn't really have a high schoo...
