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Pasco Countymeeting record

CAO-26-5145

Published agenda

Heard once, at the Board of County Commissioners on May 5, 2026.

OutcomeAdopted by the Board of County Commissioners on May 5, 2026
Approved to adopt.

Official title

A Resolution By The Board Of County Commissioners Of Pasco County, Florida, Declaring May 14, 2026, As Apraxia Awareness Day In Pasco County

Every appearance1 of 1 are in a recording

TranscriptWhat was said at each appearance is below it. Machine transcription, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 81% of 74 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.

  1. 1
    Board of County CommissionersRS4ProclamationAdopted
    Approved minutes

    Approved to adopt.

    Open this item →
    11m
    Jack MarianoChair

    We've got RS4.

    Kathryn Starkey

    Okay, if you are here for Apraxia Awareness Day, please step forward to the podium.

    You can also step forward to the podium, please. Yes.

    Isabella Boggs

    Can I begin?

    Kathryn Starkey

    I was gonna read the resolution.

    Isabella Boggs

    First. Yes, I procured this resolution on behalf of my doctor. Hold on one second. She's gonna read the resolution. Oh sure,

    yes.

    We'll let you

    Kathryn Starkey

    know when it's

    Isabella Boggs

    later big.

    Kathryn Starkey

    All right. Resolution number 26-210, a resolution by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, declaring May 14th, 2026 as Apraxia Awareness Day in Pasco County. Whereas Apraxia Awareness Day is a nationally recognized day of advocacy and community awareness during which citizens, families, and healthcare advocates unite to raise

    Okay, I'll say it's Cass. A series a serious and often misunderstood neurological speech disorder that affects approximately one in one thousand children, with one-third having an identified genetic causal basis. ANRAS childhood apraxia of speech causes children to have significant difficulties planning and executing the precise movements required for clear speech, and is among the most severe speech deficits affecting children, profoundly impacting a child's ability to communicate

    and participate fully in school and community life. ANRAS, unlike most children for whom learning to speak occurs naturally, children with CAS require early diagnosis, appropriate intervention, and intensive speech language therapy, often sustained for many years, to develop the ability to use their own voice effectively. And RAS, without timely and appropriate speech therapy intervention, children with child childhood apraxia of speech face not only severely diminished communication

    abilities, but are also at significantly elevated risk for secondary impacts, including difficulties in reading, writing, spelling, and academic performance broadly. ANRAS, these primary and secondary impacts of unaddressed, if unaddressed, can limit a child's future independence, restrict employment opportunities, and challenge their ability to become fully contributing members of the community. ANRAS public awareness about childhood apraxia of speech is essential so that families affected by this disorder and

    those who support them can access the services, funding, and advocacy. see necessary to provide these children with the opportunities they deserve. And whereas Apraxia Kids is the nation's leading nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to childhood apraxia of speech and works to strengthen the support system surrounding affected children and serves families and professionals in Pasco County. And RAS, Pasco County is home to children living with childhood apraxia of speech, and the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners sends

    their appreciation to the dedicated families, therapists, and advocates who tirelessly champion their right to be heard. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby proclaims May 14, 2026 as Apraxia Awareness Day in Pasco County. County and encourages all citizens, schools, healthcare providers, community organizations, and businesses of Pasco County to increase awareness and understanding of childhood apraxia of speech, done and resolved in regular session with a quorum present and

    voting this fifth day of May 2026.

    Isabella Boggs

    I procured this resolution. Oh, sorry, more.

    Jack MarianoChair

    Approve it now. Motion?

    Isabella Boggs

    Move to approve.

    Jack MarianoChair

    Second. Voluntary say aye. Aye. Aye.

    Isabella Boggs

    I appreciate your patience.

    Jack MarianoChair

    Ready, ready.

    Isabella Boggs

    All right. Round three. I procured this resolution on behalf of my daughter and the families of Pasco County affected by childhood epraxia of speech. Thank you to Pasco County for recognizing Apraxia Awareness Day. My name is Isabella Boggs. Both my daughter and I have childhood apraxia of speech, and I am a legal advocacy volunteer for apraxia kids. My great-grandma An, my grandma Quinn, my grandpa Fu, and my grandmother Burl always used their skills and voices

    to advocate for their family, their community, and for anyone who needed it. When I was little, my grandma Birl, who helped raise me, would sit with me patiently talking about cherry hand pies, textiles, cats, rainbows, books, and roses. She would incorporate anything that I love to help me practice the mouth movements that didn't come as easily. She put me out a typewriter as I became a teenager and urged me to write poetry, giving me another way to find my voice. She

    inspired me to use mine the same way she used hers. My daughter is the reason I do and every word she speaks is pure gold. Every child with apraxia deserves someone who will be their voice until they can find their own. Thank you.

    Jack MarianoChair

    Commissioner

    Lisa YeagerSecond Vice Chair

    Yeah. I'd just like to make a comment you guys can go to the podium. That I was I was so honored when you asked me to do this resolution. And this this hits home for me because um my son when he was little he he did not have words, so he was very frustrated. He would hit, he would bite, he'd throw himself on the floor and the whole thing he was just frustrated because he didn't he couldn't communicate with us. So we learned sign language and he had every interventionist known known to man and we started it very early. And thanks to parents like you guys that

    that did start that journey early. Your kids are going to be amazing and no one will ever know that they ever had a proxia. And um my son Jacob, these these two know him very well. You would never know that he had any issues. So um thank you again for bringing a weirdness to you. Um The the this next few I'm I'm Um very excited to have. This is Jackson and his moms, Jenny and Jenny. Um, Jen and Jenny, sorry. And they want to tell you a little bit

    about Jackson's journey. And then we also get to hear Jackson when he was little. We have a recording. So I'll leave it to you guys.

    Jackie

    Today we support a resolution a resolution recognizing a Praxia Awareness Day, a cause that is deeply personal to our family. Our child Jackson was diagnosed with apraxia in 2016. At at the time we didn't fully understand the road ahead, only that communication something ma many take for granted would be one of his greatest challenges. It took years of therapy, patience, and relentless practice for him to find his voice. As parents, we adapted along with him. We taught him simple signs

    so that he could express his needs, and we learned to understand him in ways others couldn't. through his inflection, through vowel sounds, and through the determination in his eyes when he was trying so hard trying so hard to be heard. Every single breakthrough was hard earned and celebrated. Today Jackson has found his voice and most of the time it's a very loud one. It fills our home with joy and reminds us daily how far he has come. We are honored to stand here and be part of this important resolution, not just

    for Jackson, but for every child and family navigating apraxia. Raising awareness means early earlier supports, stronger resources, and mu and more voices being heard. Thank you for recognizing the importance of this day and for helping to bring attention to this journey that so many of our families share.

    Lisa YeagerSecond Vice Chair

    Okay. Jackson, would you like to say anything? No? Okay, then let's play. Yeah. Okay. You're welcome. Okay, so let's listen to Jackson's journey.

    Jackie

    Say hi. Hi. My name is Jackie.

    Unidentified speaker

    Put your hand on.

    Jackie

    Say Say thank you everybody

    For supporting me

    and wearing blue

    For apraxia.

    Awareness.

    Unidentified speaker

    I'll be

    day. I love you.

    Are you? Now

    Jackie

    blow kisses. Yeah.

    Say hi.

    Unidentified speaker

    Hi.

    Jackie

    My name is Jackson.

    Unidentified speaker

    My name is Jackson.

    Jackie

    Thank you everybody.

    Unidentified speaker

    Thank you everybody.

    Jackie

    For supporting me.

    Unidentified speaker

    So before me.

    Jackie

    And wearing blue.

    Unidentified speaker

    And wearing blue.

    Jackie

    For apraxia.

    Unidentified speaker

    For hypatia.

    Jackie

    Awareness.

    Unidentified speaker

    Awareness.

    Jackie

    Day.

    Unidentified speaker

    Day.

    Jackie

    I love you. I love

    Unidentified speaker

    you.

    Jackie

    Bye bye. Now blow kisses.

    Lisa YeagerSecond Vice Chair

    Mama I don't know about you guys, but I have goosebumps all over my body. So to parents out there who are listening, early intervention is key and Jenny.

    Jackie

    So I just want to give a little bit of context to that video. Um every year on Apraxia Awareness Day, May 14th, I took a video over the course of four years um as Pasco County schools recognized Jackson and everybody wore blue and it was a big blue. Push even back then when he was that little. And so every year for four years, I documented his journey. We documented his journey saying the same message. And that and it has just exploded. Pasco County Schools has used it. You guys have now used

    it. All children's Johns Hopkins has used it. Like it is just amazing to see. And the awareness that This very sharply dressed young man is, you know, bringing for everybody is just we we we can't thank you enough. All right, let's

    Karen Sears

    put a finish.

    Ron Oakley

    Well I'm glad we have Auris Pasco Blue on today.

    Unidentified speakerVoice A

    Little Blue.

    Ron Oakley

    That's all

    Ron Oakley

    right.

    Lisa YeagerSecond Vice Chair

    And then can we get it?

    So then.