Stringing Our Way to Disney

Looking for something handmade and filled with love to give as a Christmas gift? My friend, Kelly teaches Special Needs children at Neptune Elementary School in Jacksonville, Florida. She got this brilliant idea (with no help from moi) to create a project that would teach her children sorting, counting and many other skills...the reward for this project is a trip to Disney World in Orlando (which I plan to attend) Here is the awesome link to the project... B.E.A.D.S
"Because Everyone Always Deserves Success" Privacy concerns do not allow me to post pictures of the students or videos of them working on the necklaces, keychains, bracelets and other items.

I have known Kelly since...well a long time...we have worked together on many, many projects.
She originally taught special needs classes in Camden and I assisted her with job coaching...we placed the students with volunteer employers in grocery stores, retail shops, and hospitals to teach them job skills. When the students were not "working" ...life skills were taught with various other projects. One of our biggest and most crazy endeavors at the high school was to create a monthly "restaurant". The students chose a theme, i.e. Chinese, Mexican...EVERY aspect of learning was covered during the month and culminated in a restaurant meal which teachers, staff and administration could purchase...they could eat in or take out. Each student had a job from hostess, to cook, to waiter, to kitchen help. The funds that accumulated after expenses would result in a fabulous end of the year trip. We went camping at Myrtle Beach with dinner and a show at the medieval theater...a trip to Charleston...horse and buggy rides with a meal in a very nice bed and breakfast (the students dressed up and had lessons in ordering from a menu and etiquette) Kelly is an artist and I try to be one...which resulted in numerous art projects (and disasters) One year we made sour dough bread and rolls ALL YEAR LONG...our promised trip was not to be due to budget cuts and we had the horse and buggy rides and lunch. (this did not go over well with us because the students earned the money and it SHOULD HAVE been earmarked for this and only this...not general school funds, that's a story for another day) My dear friend had a tendency to get really innovative and make more plans than two people could possibly accomplish in a short time with special needs students...she always relied on me to slow things down a bit and determine what we could realistically accomplish!

Take a look at the site...this friend is amazingly talented and a great teacher...how about help her take her students to Disney...a trip of a lifetime for many of them!!! She and I...oh what fun we had together...I really look forward to going on this trip myself if at all possible!!!