Dancing with the Stars
the problem:
I'm trying to solve the problem of discrimination against special needs children and young adults. Many people put these individuals into a category that automatically says that they are unable to do many activities such as dance. They therefore experience the inability to experience such forms of art and exercise because many think that they just aren't smart enough or coordinated enough to join in. My program helps them to prove that not only are they capable of learning and listening, they are capable of dancing and enjoying themselves in a fun environment.
vital stats:
people impacted:
35people involved:
25why it's important:
This project is important to me because since a young age I have been around special needs children. As a teacher's assistant, my mother worked with special needs kids in preschool. I have always seen their potential and intelligence and it has always irritated me that others don't see the same abilities in them. This program allows me to be able to combine my love for dance and my desire to see these children succeed into one big accomplishment. Although on a small scale, I feel like I am able to make a difference in these children's lives. I am able to show that that people around the same age as them respect them and see their full potential. Most of all, we all have fun!
the plan of action:
I started this program to give people that are on my highschool dance team with me the opportunity to get volunteer hours that don't interfere with dance practices and performances. I contacted the ARC and told them about my ideas to meet with the special needs children once a month and conduct a dance class with them. Fortunately, they liked my idea and we put it into action. Once a month, in the conference room at our local library, a few of my fellow teammates and I meet with the children from the ARC and dance with them. We conduct a warm up, a dance session, and a cool down. In the future I hope to still have some involvement with this program. Although I am going to college I hope that I can still keep the program going and allow one of my younger teammates to conduct the classes while I still organize the schedule and communicate with the ARC.
how you can get involved:
Others can help by donating to the ARC. Unfortunately, the volunteer opportunities are limited to people on the Clements High School Dance Team.
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