by Martha Smith

In the Approved Private School, where children have multiple disabilities (including the inability to talk, walk, use their hands or even play) and have very complex medical conditions and needs, it is very exciting when a child (or children) does (do) anything that comes close to what a child without disabilities can do.

In the Philadelphia Division we have two little girls, Jenna and Maria, who have formed a wonderful friendship.  Maria is a child who can talk and will ask everyday if she can visit Jenna, who is in the classroom next door.  Maria will usually come over and play with Jenna by sitting with her and using one of the iPads that is filled with wonderful pre-school apps that are easy and fun for our students. (Thanks to a grant from Comcast, the hard work of our Assistive Technology Department, we have iPads available for our students with the appropriate apps to help increase communication and over success of the classroom experience). Finding ways to overcome obstacle makes the simple joys like friendship possible.

Jenna and Maria make us smile everyday.