Circle of Friends at CES

Circle of Friends Week at Crestline Elementary was dedicated to fun, educational activities designed to promote understanding, encouragement and inclusion of students with special needs and to focus on abilities and strengths. 

The Special Education team was honored as well. Chairs Melissa Oliver and Emily Pruet organized events that were effective in engaging all students at Crestline to have a better understanding of their friends and to encourage more friendships. K-3 students participated in several hands-on stations where they had to experience an activity that would be difficult to do with a physical or learning challenge and then try it again with an adaptation that makes it possible. 

Fourth-graders attended a program presented by Lakeshore Foundation athletes where wheelchair Olympian Mary Allison Mitford and her teammates discussed adapted sports equipment and challenged five faculty members to a game of wheelchair basketball. Fifth-graders attended an assembly presented by the Red Barn, and Crestline students to learn about service/therapy animals. 

Sixth-graders attended a presentation by Ashley DeRamus, who is an entrepreneur, traveler, adventurer and advocate for people with special needs.  She lives out all these roles with Down Syndrome.