Volunteers
assemble the playground at the Kingston campus of the Center for Spectrum
Services last fall.
When you
first walk in the door at the Center for Spectrum Services, you are immediately
transported into a world where children are pushed, challenged, and loved by
the community of staff who run the building.
The Center
for Spectrum Services (formerly known as The Children’s Annex), was founded in
1976 by Susan Buckler and
Jamey Wolff. They began by teaching only two students in a church basement.
Now almost 40 years later, they have campuses in
Kingston and Ellenville, and a student population of around 250 students coming
from 10 different counties and over 40
districts. The staff at the centers are dedicated educators who all work
together to provide education and therapies to children aged 5 to 12 who’ve
been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Read more: 14 clues that your child may need an autism screening
Read more: 10 tips for playdates with kids of all abilities
In addition, they participate in
the Early Intervention program (which services children birth to 3) and the
district-based preschool program (which services children 3-5), provide
diagnostic evaluations to people of all ages, coordinate regular and
informative workshops for parents and providers in the community, and serve as
consultants to districts and social skills groups. To say that they make a
difference in our community would be a monumental understatement.
Social
development is key
A major
portion of the ASD diagnosis revolves around social interaction. According to
the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, children affected by
ASD have difficulty:
• using
communication for social purposes (sharing information and greeting).
• following
the rules of conversation (different conversations based on location or
partner).
• interpreting
non-verbal communication or non-literal language.
• making,
keeping, and maintaining relationships.
In order to
help their students reach their full potential, the center is currently raising
funds to fine-tune their playground at the Kingston campus, and add a new
playground to their Ellenville campus.
Read more: Diagnosing autism early
Being able
to have access to a playground helps teach and strengthen vital social and
motor skills. Although there were existing playgrounds, they were wearing out
and were built around an older form of building codes.
When I
talked to David Juhren, the
Development Coordinator for the Center for Spectrum Services, he stressed that the
new playgrounds have been designed to promote more teamwork and cooperative
play, utilizing structures such as see-saws that need multiple children to
function.
These
playgrounds will also give the physical and occupational therapists another
natural setting to help their students learn gross and fine motor and sensory
skills.
Melissa
Moser, an employee of the Center for Spectrum Services and also a parent of a
student, says her son Ollie was delighted about the new playground at the
Kingston campus.
“He would
excitedly race with his friend down the connected slides and he loves the
teeter totter, which has helped his social skills,” she says.
Read more: Autism and the positive role of Early Intervention
Gaining motor skills
The students
at the Center for Spectrum Services are benefitting not only from the social
aspect of the playground, but also from the motor skills gained.
Alix Cutrone
of Ulster Park says her son, Oliver, 5, is thrilled at the new additions to the
Kingston campus.
“Oliver has low muscle tone and has had a lot of
difficulty with walking and various activities due to his lack of core strength
and all over tone,” she says. “I love the new playground and I'm sure Oliver is
loving it, too! Since it was built, he has learned how to climb the rock wall,
which is amazing for his core. He is also crazy about slides and swings and
it's nice that he has new, more accessible ones to use now. Plus, the
playground is very welcoming and aesthetically pleasing.”
Seeking
donations
So, how can we, as a community, help support this
local organization?
The current budget for the Playground Project is
currently $140,000, and they have not yet reached their goal.
“We are seeking donations [of any amount] all the
way up to the build itself, scheduled for early April. Any funding we raise
above our goal will be used to support the programs and services for our
autistic students,” says Juhren.
He also gave some additional ideas for community
members, both individuals and businesses, to help including volunteering
individually or in a group, supplying material donations from local companies,
supplying food and beverage donations for our volunteers the day of the build,
and helping to get the word out.
Check out centerforspectrumservices.org to volunteer and get more
information on the project.
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