Students from Monroe 2-Orleans Special Education Transition Program are taking joy in being able to help their community during this holiday season. On December 5, they stood in the cold, singing carols and ringing bells for the Salvation Army. Their holiday cheer brightened a dull, gray day and the hearts of every shopper they encountered in the Spencerport Tops Plaza.
“These young adults are working hard to overcome challenges and disabilities,” says organizer and BOCES 2 speech therapist Patty Schuyler. “But their thoughts at the holidays turn to helping folks with needs even greater than their own. The bell ringing project was born 10 years ago from their desire to ‘pay it forward’ – to make a difference for the Spencerport community.”
The students, aged 17 to 21, come to the BOCES 2 Transition Program from school districts throughout the region. They receive individualized assistance, vocational assessments, and career training to help them make the transition from full-time school to vocational placement. They participate in a variety of different programs according to their own abilities, including workshops or supported employment. What all these very differently enabled students have in common is their determination to become as independent as they can be.
The students participating in this year’s bell ringing event were from Heather Case’s and Nancy DeMarkis-Tese’s Transition classes at Village Plaza. Each bell ringer spent 10-20 minutes manning the kettle, singing carols, laughing and smiling, greeting shoppers, and thanking them for their donations. Their enthusiasm was contagious as passers-by made requests and joined them in song.
DeMarkis-Tese says, “Patty deserves a lot of credit for always believing that our students can do these things and take these steps. But the real heroes are our amazing kids. Even with their challenges, they are still out here, doing what they can to help others.”
Provided information and photos
12/15/13
