CBHS Program to Resume
The Cypress Bay High School Mentoring Program is resuming on October 9th, 2012 for the 2012-2013 Academic School Year. This year, the participants will be focused principally on utilizing Microsoft Office Software Applications in the workplace, and for personal organization as a life skill. The class syllabus will start with general Windows-related items, and immediately turn to Microsoft Outlook. Students will learn how to incorporate the Calendar and Task features to every day work-related tasks, and explore the various options in Exchange (Outlook) that most companies use. Midyear we will continue with Microsoft Excel and Word, utilizing many direct work-related scenarios to teach strong strategies for the use of these applications. The students will continue to participate in side-projects, including working on a website, and other planned projects. This year, we have a new addition for the Foundation Team: Meagan Bouscher will be joining as an instructor and mentor, and will be working directly with the students on many of these projects. WELCOME BACK!
Program Completion Lunch: Cypress Bay High School 2011-2012
Program Completion Staff & Program Participant Lunch
“On Tuesday, May 15, 2012 the students in the HDS Mentorship Program were invited to Chili’s restaurant to celebrate all of the hard work we have done for the past few months. We began the day by writing cover letters for our resumes, which we worked on at HDS so we can get a job during the summer. We also did a sample cover letter for Cristina. Then some of the HDS Staff, including: Brielle, Leonard, Cristina, Amy, Nick, Teresa, and Dr. Sugerman. They took us to Chili’s for the end of the term lunch. I talked to Leonard about the Heat while we were eating and how the Heat are doing. The other students also got to spend time with the HDS Staff and got to know them better. Chili’s is an awesome place to hang out with friends. Chili’s has good food to eat and its very delicious.”
– Danielle Nunez,
Cypress Bay High School Student
HDS Foundation Program Participant.
HDS FOUNDATION SPONSORS CHEER BUDDIES
The HDS Foundation recently had the opportunity to work with a local high school student in putting together a collaborative event between the school’s varsity cheerleaders and a group of special needs girls who also attend the high school. As a junior coach for the Weston Warriors cheerleaders, Alexia Alter had the opportunity to coach a child with special needs and the smile that never left her face inspired her to put a program together at her high school. With amazing motivation for a sixteen year old, the varsity cheerleader at Cypress Bay High School set out to research what it would take to create a mentoring program for cheerleaders at her school.
She opted for a one week mini-camp, where she would bring together interested girls with varsity cheerleaders. She choreographed a routine for them to learn for halftime, and together with the other cheerleaders taught the girls some of their routine sideline cheers. The cheerleaders worked one on one with the students, teaching them basic motions, cheers, jumps and the dance, which was set to Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’.
At the Cypress Bay Lightning Varsity Basketball game, the “buddies” performed to many cheers from the crowd. They were so happy and excited to be cheering and dancing alongside of their peers, and the Cypress Bay community responded with great enthusiasm. One of the buddies said that she really enjoyed interacting with Alexia and the other cheerleaders in a special way. She stated that Alexia was a good coach and that the girls always “got high fives” and a great deal of encouragement. Moreover, the impact this event had on their self-esteem and confidence was exemplified by the congratulations and recognition of their school peers.
Creating a mentorship program is a wonderful thing, particularly at the high school level. Socialization for special needs teens is difficult, and by providing a vehicle for peer to peer and positive role models, this teen population can have a positive high school experience, and learn in a setting that typically they would not be in. By providing a little guidance and some financial support for the uniforms, the HDS Foundation was able to be part of a great community activity.
We are encouraged that this young student has the values to drive her to work on such a project and hope she will continue to work as a student peer to bring more awareness and acceptance in our schools.
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