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Gymnastics Classes Bring Learning, Fun To Those With Special Needs
By Lauren Puglisi
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| --Photo By Lauren Puglisi The Jackson Commission for the Disabled and Handicapped has made a program for children with special needs to go and learn gymnastics and exercise activities at Crawford- Rodriguez's gymnasium every Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon. For more photos, visit our photo galleries at www.micromediapubs.com. |
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Every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in the Crawford-Rodriguez Elementary School's gymnasium, groups of special needs children attend classes that stimulate both their minds and their muscles.
Volunteers from the Jackson Commission for the Disabled and Handicapped have created a Challenger Gymnastics and Exercise Class for children throughout the township.
Christine Young, head director of the program, proposed the idea of teaching handicapped children their own specialized classes when the Jackson Recreation Department created similar programs for students in mainstream classrooms.
With the help of occupational therapists and local high school and middle school girls, Young has arranged exercise activities for a wide range of age groups.
"The morning starts off with about 14 3- to 6-year-olds and as the day progresses, we teach students all the way up to the high school level," Young said. "I have a background in gymnastics and I'm also a special education teacher. I really enjoy interacting with the children."
According to Young, the gymnasium is set up in about five different circuit training areas where students can do everything from walk across a balance beam and jump on a trampoline to work with sensory color and puzzle pieces.
Donna Manning, an occupational therapist and a volunteer from the Jackson Commission, said that each week, the instructors try their best to bring diversity to the program.
"When kids come to the sensory station, one of the things they get to try-out is experiencing what it's like inside of a colorful body sock. Each child then tries their best to get out of the sock on their own," Manning said.
While the students participated in many of the morning's activities, the bleachers at Crawford-Rodriguez filled with parents and friends who came to show their support and cheer on their loved-ones.
"It's easy to see that the kids like the program, but it's also nice to notice the parents getting together for the day," Manning said. "While their children are being active, they get a chance to relax and talk with other parents from the area."
A large group of young girls from schools around Jackson said they enjoyed spending their Saturday mornings working with children in need of help.
Alyssa Bruns, a freshman at Jackson Liberty High School, said the kids are really nice and always look like they are having a great time.
Emily Williams, also a freshman at Liberty, said she heard about the program from one of her friends.
"It is a great community service project. My friend told me she really liked helping out at this gymnastics class so I wanted to come and try it out for myself," Williams said.
The Challenger Gymnastics and Exercise class at Crawford-Rodriguez is an eight-week-long program.
Young said that volunteers have recently expressed their hopes of making the class a bi-yearly course in the future, which would take place during the fall and spring.
The Jackson Commission also offers other "Challenger" sports programs throughout the course of the year.
"Some of the other popular programs available are soccer, softball and basketball leagues for different aged children with special needs," Young said.
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