This summer, Mikey, a Spaulding student, happened to witness Spaulding’s annual staff appreciation event, causing him to wonder, “why don’t we have a student appreciation day?”
At that moment, a new Spaulding tradition was born: Student Appreciation Day. Mikey and his teacher, Bridget, worked closely with the speech-language pathology (SLP) team to bring this student-driven idea to life, but first Mikey had a big job to do, he had to convince Principal Garrett Lavallee to get on board.
Mikey was able to learn valuable lessons of self-advocacy as he prepared to pitch his idea. He practiced important skills like looking someone in the eye when talking to them and how to ask for something that you want/need. After weeks of hard work, Mikey presented his plan to Principal Lavallee. He was immediately on board and so impressed with Mikey’s dedication to the event and his peers that he agreed to make the day of appreciation an annual event.
The special day kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony, as Mikey used the school’s “big scissors” and proudly wore the ribbon around his neck for the remainder of the day. Every student was greeted with a handwritten note from their teacher that included positive affirmations and words of encouragement. The students then enjoyed a day filled with their very own Spaulding swag, a pizza and movie party, games, golf cart rides, a photo booth and endless amounts of fun.
Mikey said it was the “best day of his life!” Thanks to him, students for generations to come will get to experience the enjoyment and warm feelings of a day of appreciation.
Annual Student Appreciation Day will surely be enjoyed by many for years to come and serves as an important reminder to students: with a little hard work and planning you can make any dream come true.
Choose Love: From our Hearts to Yours
Students across the Spaulding campus have been experiencing and sharing the magic of the Choose Love Movement’s teachings. One Spaulding student experienced an extra special moment of pride and recognition when he correctly identified the prefrontal cortex of the brain during a lesson with his peers. This student knew exactly where this part of the brain is located and what it is responsible for after he learned about it during the Choose Love Courage Class. He was proudly able to share with his class that this part of the brain helps us make smart decisions!
