Written by: Audrey Sochor
For the past few weeks, the students at RESA’s Woodland Developmental Center have had a special curriculum – a dance mentorship with Port Huron X-Treme’s dance team.
The five week program started after Tricia Smith, special education teacher at Woodland and former dance mom, was inspired during nationals by a team from Ohio that sponsored a special needs team.
“We just know that dance and music is a part of everybody’s soul,” Smith said. “It helps you makes you feel better, and with Special Olympics we love our Unified program. And that is where you put together a (typically developing person) with a student with disabilities.”
So Smith approached the X-Treme staff with the opportunity, and they jumped on the chance. The program is open to all students at Woodland, who arrange in ages from 3 to 26, and will end with a competition that includes a 2-3 minute performance with Woodland and X-Treme students.
Stephanie Kesner, dance coach for Port Huron X-Treme, said while the X-Treme students were nervous in the beginning, the program soon became worth it because the Woodland students are always happy to see them.
“They just come in and they’re happy and they’re ready to go,” Kesner said. “And in turn that makes you happy, and it just makes our days good.”
Both Woodland and X-Treme are looking for opportunities to partner again, because not only is it beneficial for the special needs students to interact with their X-Treme peers, it’s also good for the X-treme dancers.
“It’s kind of emotional for me,” said Emilia Jefferson, a dance student partnered with a younger Woodland student. “I feel so close to them and it’s like a bond I’ve never experienced before. It’s something new for me in my life and I love experiencing it.”
