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East High's special education students shine on prom night

An East High initiative is ensuring the school’s special education students feel welcome to share in the excitement with their peers.

East High's special education students shine on prom night

An East High initiative is ensuring the school’s special education students feel welcome to share in the excitement with their peers.

HIGHLIGHTS COMING UP IN SPORTS. WELL, PROM SEASON IS IN FULL SWING ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA. TONIGHT IS EAST HIGH’S BIG NIGHT. vlog. PEPPER. PEPPER TAGGED ALONG FOR THE PRE PROM FUN FOR ONE EAST HIGH CLASS IN PEPPER. WHAT YOU WENT TO WAS A TRADITION THAT’S HELPING MORE STUDENTS ATTEND. IT IS KAYLA. AND THIS IS THE FOURTH YEAR THAT EAST HIGH HAS FUNDRAISED FOR ITS SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS TO ATTEND PROM AS A GROUP. WHEN TEENS HEAD OUT TO DINNER IN DRESSES UP DOS SUITS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF SPARKLE. IT’S EASY TO TELL THAT THEIR NEXT STOP IS PROM. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE PROM, AND WE’RE. AND WE’RE GOING TO BE DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY. BUT JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, THIS GROUP OF EXCITED EAST HIGH STUDENTS MAY HAVE SKIPPED OUT ON THE SENIOR YEAR MILESTONE. WELL, ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS WEREN’T GOING TO PROM. EAST HIGH SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER MARY SAINT CLAIR SAYS THE TYPICAL PRE PROM ANXIETIES THAT TEENS EXPERIENCE SEEMED ESPECIALLY INTENSE FOR HER STUDENTS. DO I GO? DO I GO WITH THE GROUP OR WHO DO I GO WITH? AND THAT’S JUST VERY INTIMIDATING. SO THE SCHOOL STEPPED IN FUNDRAISING MONEY THROUGH THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDE A PRE PROM DINNER AND LIMO RIDE, MAKING SURE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS HAD THE OPTION OF ATTENDING JUST FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT FOR A DINNER AND DANCE AND JUST DO THE SAME THINGS THAT THEIR PEERS ARE DOING. IT’S JUST IT’S JUST A LOT OF FUN. SO WHETHER THEY’RE ALL IN ON THE PROM EXPERIENCE OR GOING RELUCTANTLY, I’M ONLY INTERESTED IN CHILLING HERE AND ENJOYING THE DESSERTS. THEY’LL HAVE THE MEMORY OF PROM NIGHT, AND SAINT CLAIR SAYS ANYONE THAT’S INTERESTED IN HELPING CONTRIBUTE
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East High's special education students shine on prom night

An East High initiative is ensuring the school’s special education students feel welcome to share in the excitement with their peers.

Prom season is bringing joy and sparkle across central Iowa, and an East High initiative is ensuring the school’s special education students feel welcome to share in the excitement with their peers.“About four years ago, we noticed that a lot of our special ed students weren’t going to the prom,” said Marie St. Claire, special education teacher at East High. The anxiety of the big night prompted questions like, 'Do I go? Do I go with a group?' That’s all just very intimidating,” St. Claire said.To encourage more of the class to attend, the school began fundraising through its alumni association four years ago. The efforts provide a pre-prom dinner and limo ride, ensuring every student has the option to attend. “Just for them to be able to go out for a dinner and dance and just do the same things that their peers are doing — it’s just a lot of fun,” St. Claire said.

Prom season is bringing joy and sparkle across central Iowa, and an East High initiative is ensuring the school’s special education students feel welcome to share in the excitement with their peers.

“About four years ago, we noticed that a lot of our special ed students weren’t going to the prom,” said Marie St. Claire, special education teacher at East High. The anxiety of the big night prompted questions like, 'Do I go? Do I go with a group?' That’s all just very intimidating,” St. Claire said.

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To encourage more of the class to attend, the school began fundraising through its alumni association four years ago. The efforts provide a pre-prom dinner and limo ride, ensuring every student has the option to attend.

“Just for them to be able to go out for a dinner and dance and just do the same things that their peers are doing — it’s just a lot of fun,” St. Claire said.