Stebbins High School Fundraiser for We Care Arts

 

Thanks to our fantastic Stebbins High School students!

We always appreciate it when a group of our supporters hold a fundraiser for us, so imagine our delight when a group of Stebbins High School students came by recently with $119.56 to support our programs! At our recent auction, they sold $320 more to the attendees for a total of $430.00 donation to We Care Arts!

The initiative came from a study by the Ohio Occupational Therapy Transition Outcome (OTTO) through Ohio Department of Education where they wanted the students to develop an understanding of community service and good citizenship. The challenge was for the Stebbins High School students with multiple disabilities to come up with a project to earn money for a worthy organization. The students discussed it and decided that they would support We Care Arts. Our teacher, Alicia, goes there every week and they thought they would like to give back in appreciation of what she’s given them.

The students worked with an Occupational Therapist and came up with their own business plan. They decided what project they were going to do (make rainbow loom bracelets in school colors red and white), how many they were going to make, what the cost would be to make them and how much they would sell them for ($2). They advertised, ran the cash register and promoted the sale throughout the school. When presented with a problem on the project, they used their problem solving skills to keep things moving along!

One of the young men involved became a different person during this process. Before this, he normally had no social interactions with the other students. But for this project, he would walk up to people and ask if they wanted to buy a bracelet. The teachers were amazed how this activity caused the young man to completely alter his social interactions.

The students said they were very proud of themselves and the teachers were pleased that they were making a difference in the world by giving back.