19 Hancock High students with disabilities launch new book ‘Bright Future!’

HANCOCK CO., Miss. (WLOX) - A new book is on the market, and it’s written by 19 Hancock High School students with disabilities.

Throughout the school year, the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at the University of Southern Mississippi has worked with the group in authoring “Bright Future!”.

It’s a collaborative book where the students wrote and illustrated different career possibilities from their own perspectives.

“At first, it’s like, hard making, but at least I give it a shot,” author and incoming Hancock High senior Drake Ferguson explains.

Ferguson and Collin Clark are two authors who helped bring the book to life.

After giving the audience a preview of their work, friends, family, and teachers lined up for autographs.

125 retailers will sell the book. Clark says it’s a one-of-a-kind experience.

“To me, this feels special because this is the one thing that actually happened that actually never happened to me before. Getting books signed and all that stuff,” said Clark.”

Laura Clements-Thomas works with the students through IDS at USM.

She works with the group of Hancock High students weekly, focusing on transitional skills and career opportunities.

The goal this year was to give the group a project where they could advocate for themselves, and the various roles they can take on.

“It’s really exciting that they get to be an author at this age and be able to

“Bright Future!” is dedicated to former student and classmate Noah Charles, who passed away in September. The dedication notes that writing a book was his dream, and through this publication, that dream has been fulfilled. put that on their transcripts and put that in their resume and just have something to put on there that shows... I can do this. I have done this,” Clements-Thomas says.

Click HERE to watch video.