Gustavo is a 12-year-old boy who faced language problems. This situation deeply affected him emotionally, to the point that he did not want to speak at school for fear of being teased and harassed by his classmates, becoming a victim of bullying. Because of this, he decided to leave his regular school and moved to the St. Bernadette’s Remedial School.
Gustavo entered the school in 2023, at the beginning he was very quiet and shy, and as an excuse for not speaking, he used a mask or mouth cover. As time went by, he began to cling to the mask, using it as a protective measure so as to confront his speech problems. However, with the support of the psychologist on the emotional side, the teacher on the academic side and the speech therapist, Gustavo began to participate more and more, proving to be an expressive child, with good ideas, sociable and a good companion. Despite his progress, he continued to wear the mask.
At the end of the school year, Gustavo made a commitment with the psychologist to attend the following year without a mask.
At the beginning of 2024, Gustavo came to school without a mask, but he still had a hard time without it. He used to cover his mouth with his hand when talking, but little by little he overcame his shyness. Although he still has some difficulty speaking, especially when he gets nervous, he is no longer afraid to express himself or to socialize. This year, Gustavo is in the 6th grade and is about to enter high school.
