The Hornet Hive Community Project at Hamilton High School West is more than a program for special-needs students. It is an altruistic effort helping the Hamilton community.
Each year, the Multiple Disabilities Life Skills Program at Hamilton High School West chooses a social organization that it partners with to “give back” to the community. Disabled students then work alongside general education students to accomplish that goal.
Examples of the projects include decorating a holiday tree in the library with ornaments made by the students. The ornaments support local non-profits, such as the historic Grafton House or Angel’s Wings, which serves disadvantaged children and families, by identifying items needed during the holidays. The Hornet Hive also worked on a project called Cell Phones for Soldiers/Quilt of Valor, collecting phones to donate to deployed soldiers, and making a quilt for a local soldier. Finally, the families of deployed soldiers were recipients of items collected through Giving Tree for Tender Hearts, a local group that collects various items for needy families.
Participating students develop a lifelong understanding of the importance of community involvement, and the concept of giving their time. At the same time, disabled and mainstream students learn valuable skills from working together.
Information
Contact: Isabelle Sutton, child study supervisor, [email protected]
Recognized by the 2014 Innovations in Special Education program