You Raise Me Up (Part 2)

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

Each school year, Blair Early Childhood Center hosts a "Kindergarten Graduation & Moving On Ceremony" for our kindergarten students and students, age seven, who have severe and profound disabilities. Like so many other schools, this program is the culminating event of the school year during which we celebrate the successes of our young students. Unlike other schools, all our students have physical and/or other health impairments. Hence, student progress is not as easily documented or often recognizable to others. Most of our children will never read or write, tell their parents "what they did in school today", or experience another graduation. For most of our students and parents this is the culminating event of their child's academic career! One of the most beautiful and poignant components of this ceremony is our slide show. Set to music, we chronicle the year's events, struggles, and triumphs from our "Fall Festival" to our spring "Field Day" (our Special Olympics). Parents cheer and students squeal to see their image on the screen. Everyone cries! For many families this is the first time they have seen their child celebrated in this manner. Throughout the year, committee members take slide pictures of students mastering a skill, working with a therapist, participating in an activity or event, enjoying a performance, etc. Often times we must take the picture multiple times because a child moved or we think we have the shot only to realize after the film is developed that we missed it. This is time consuming and costly because purchasing and developing slide film is expensive. Not to mention the moment is lost forever. Since the development of digital photography, capturing our students with special needs on film has become easier. Converting over 150 pictures to slides, however, is cost prohibitive. My vision is to replace our slide presentations with power point presentations. I am writing to request one component of this technology, a notebook computer with power point software. I realize that this is a tremendous request but I have witnessed the tremendous impact this program has had on our students (30-35 total annually) and parents alike. Access to the appropriate technology, will not only enhance this beautiful ceremony but also provide clear illustration and documentation of student learning during parent/teacher conferences and "report card pick up". Please consider a donation to "raise" our young students "up" to where they deserve to be. Thank you!