Spirit of inspiration: 9 year old Jaylen Arnold

When people hear the word inspiration you automatically know you are on a positive road and about to be uplifted! One of my earlier articles was about Teens that Inspire, and through that I was introduced to a now 9 year old inspirational young boy, Jaylen Arnold.

Jaylen Arnold, a Florida resident, radiates inspiration and continues to help others as well as educate kids and parents alike about one of our country’s most disturbing growing trends – bullying.

Recently Jaylen took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions about his crusade and his mission to help millions of children. Don’t forget to watch his PSA at the end of this article.
(more…)

Jaylens Challenge For TEAM TSA One Lap Closer To A Cure!

Click here to donate!

On Jan. 8-10, 2010, Jaylen and Dash will be participating in the Walt Disney World Marathon in Orlando, Florida to benefit the national Tourette Syndrome Association. We are excited to meet the challenge, especially for such a good cause.

With every step we take, we know we will be helping TSA get “One Lap Closer To A Cure.” But we can’t do it alone. We need your help! Please sponsor us and donate to fund a worldwide cutting edge research program to identify the cause and find a cure for TS – which we both suffer from.

Tourette Syndrome, an inherited neurobiological disorder, is characterized by involuntary sudden movements and vocalizations, known as tics. A common misconception is that those affected curse. In fact, less than 10 percent of those affected have what is known as coprolalia. What causes TS is not yet fully understood, and to date, a cure has not been found. It is estimated that one person out of a hundred has a mild form of the disorder and one in one thousand has a severe case of TS.

In addition to funding research, TSA’s mission is to provide educational programs, awareness activities and services for people living with TS and their families.

You can make a difference . . . please join us in supporting a very important cause. Thank you for your support!

For more information on us, please visit us at www.JaylensChallenge.Org

Sincerely,

Jaylen Arnold & Dash Mihok
Team Jaylens Challenge
www.JaylensChallenge.Org
www.DashMihok.com

Video of Dash and Jaylen on Katie Couric

Watch CBS News Videos Online

(more…)

Watch Katie Couric tonight

Just a reminder that Dash and Jaylen will be on Katie Couric tonight at 6:30 p.m. (check your local listings for the channel) in the segment “American Spirit”.

Here’s an early look at one of the stories we are working on for tonight’s broadcast of The CBS Evening News: Jaylen Arnold is a little boy with a massive goal. We’ll tell you how this 9-year-old, from Lakeland, Florida, is overcoming his illness and putting a stop to childhood bullying. Our series American Spirit continues tonight, only on The CBS Evening News. ~ cbsnews.com

Dash and Jaylen on Bay News 9

Click here to view Dash and Jaylen’s recent interview with Bay News 9. Happy viewing!

Photos of Dash and Jaylen

I’ve just updated the gallery with all recent photos of Dash from his recent visit with Jaylen. Click here to view them all now. Enjoy!

Student, Actor Help Spread Anti-Bullying Message at School

Harrison Paxton had never heard of Tourette syndrome before Tuesday afternoon. Yet the fifth-grader knows what teasing feels like.

“When I first came to this school, I got bullied a little bit,” said Harrison, a 10-year-old with crew-cut blond hair. “I came in third grade (and was bullied) because I was new and sometimes I didn’t know what to do.”

Harrison could only imagine the cruelty he might face if he had uncontrollable body movements, like Jaylen Arnold, the 9-year-old boy who stood Tuesday before 400 or so students at Bartow Elementary Academy and described life with Tourette syndrome.

Jaylen appeared during a presentation along with actor Dash Mihok, who also has Tourette’s. The assembly, covered by a crew from the CBS Evening News for future broadcast, was the first in what Jaylen hopes will be many anti-bullying appearances at local schools.
(more…)

New photos of Dash and Jaylen

Photos of Dash and Jaylen speaking at Bartow Elementary School yesterday are now available online here at The Lakeland Ledger. They will be added to our gallery, along with all other recent photos, within the next couple of days. Please continue to visit @JaysChallenge, @DizMihok and @Robinae24 for all the latest photos, updates and a new video.