It could have gone either way.
One of the (many) goals at Friendship Circle over the summer was to find a solution to the challenge of Special Children having off from school on Public Holidays, but the difficulty in running this program is due to limited access to volunteers. After months of orchestrating, demonstrating, strategizing, presenting, and advocating, Bnos Menachem Junior High was on board.
Once permission was granted, numerous details had to be planned and executed to perfection. The students had to be on board, the parents of the students had to open their minds to believing in this (everyone has different ideas of what real education looks like!).
As the day approached, anticipation and nerves grew. Could these 8th graders rise to the occasion? Many had never interacted with a special needs child before. Would the day go smoothly, or would it be a difficult experience for all involved?
The experience on Veterans Day proved to be transformative. What could have been a day of eye-rolling, whispering, cliques, or indifference became something magical. The students were fully engaged, mature, gracious, kind, and understanding. They approached challenging behaviors with patience and compassion.
“You need to run around the gym for 45 mins? No problem, we will run alongside you.”
“Sensory overload becoming too strong? No problem, we will sit with you in the Sensory Room for as long as you need.” (away from all our friends and action).
The day left a lasting impression, offering community teens the opportunity to step into meaningful roles and experience the power of kindness firsthand.
It could have gone either way.
But it unfolded in the most beautiful way possible. —- We are deeply grateful to Mrs Hildeshaim of Bnos Menachem for making this possible.
