Norman Katie Huffman Honored with a DHS Award of Excellence and Best of the Best Award

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Although Norman’s Katie Huffman is only in her early 20s, if her passion for caring for individuals with developmental disabilities could be tallied in years, she’d be considered an old soul.

By day, Huffman works as a paraprofessional at Southmoore High School in Moore. After school, she is a habilitation training specialist for Reis, a 12-year-old with Down syndrome who lives in Norman. The Oklahoma DHS’ Developmental Disabilities Services recognized Huffman with both an “Award of Excellence” and a “Best of the Best” award in direct support services during its recent 29th Annual Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities. She was nominated for the honors by her employer and Reis’ mother, Lori Wathen.

“I love Katie so much and I know my son loves her,” Wathen said. “She has just been such a blessing for our lives. I know she’s like an employee, but she’s so much more than that … she’s kind of like the daughter that we don’t have.”

Caring for Reis has been somewhat of a family affair in the Huffman family. Huffman’s older sister, Stacy, worked with Reis years ago when she was a teacher at the Moore-Norman Technology Center. Another sister, Kelly, is now Reis’ paraprofessional at his school, Robin Hill Public School in Norman. Wathen said Katie and her family attend the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma Buddy Walk every year to raise awareness and support Reis and others with Down syndrome.

“We are so happy and blessed that the Huffman’s are a part of Reis’s life,” Wathen said. “Honestly, I can’t thank them enough for how much joy they’ve brought to his life. As a parent, when you see that joy on your child’s face, you just know he loves who he’s hanging out with and that he’s well taken care of.”

Huffman also volunteers for Reis’ Special Olympics Swim Team, Southmoore High School’s Special Olympics Team and she raises money for Special Olympics.

Huffman said she believes individuals with developmental disabilities can accomplish great things with just a little bit of help.

“I’ve worked with individuals with developmental disabilities for a long time. I also have a lanyard tattoo on my leg that has Reis’ name on it and ‘T21’ for trisomy 21 which is Down syndrome.” (The Wathens use Reis’ play with lanyards as “stimming” – a self-stimulatory behavior that helps him to regulate and soothe himself.)

Huffman said Reis is like a little brother because she has known him for so long and he’s often stays at her home.

“He’s like a little brother,” she said. “He’s a part of my family.”

Wathen said Huffman understands Reis’ challenges and his strengths.

“She brings out the best in him when they’re working or having fun together,” she said. “As a parent, when I leave Reis with Katie, I don’t have any worries. I know he’s going to be well taken care of, loved and that she’s going to work on things that she knows are going to be important for Reis as he grows up and becomes an adult.”

Huffman said she loves caring for Reis and admires Wathen because she is such a good mother and does so much to spread the world about people developmental disabilities.

“Lori is a wonderful person and I hope to be more like her,” she said. “I love just hanging out with Reis all the time and for as much time as I can. It is because I just love seeing his smiling face every day. It is an amazing feeling.”

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