These teens know how to party!
At PS K811’s Summer Block Party Extravaganza, students with special needs partied alongside family, friends, and community members for the year-round school’s outdoor bash.
The students, aged 14–21 years old, celebrated the event’s camping theme with tents, hot dogs, and s’mores — not to mention a water slide and bouncy house — but a teacher said the best part of the day was watching the students learn by listening to tunes they love.
“Autistic children seem to really grow on music — they learn through music,” said Sandra Perez, a teacher at PS K811.
Along with uplifting music, the positivity continued with a spoken words performance about the importance of confidence, which the poet said is imperative for success.
“They have to acknowledge their greatness to be greater,” said poet Casel Lee, whose stage name is “Verbal Artisan.”
But at the end of the day, Lee said the students were the ones who taught her a lesson.
“The children they definitely lifted my spirits,” said Lee. “Just their energy — they’re just so carefree.”
