Valley Independent Sentinel

Mural Celebrates Autism Awareness in Ansonia

by Joe Apicella | Assistant Principal, Prendergast School | May 7, 2012 5:54 pm

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Posted to: Ansonia, Education, News by You

This September John G. Prendergast Elementary School in Ansonia was honored to receive a generous grant from the Jamie A. Hulley Foundation to create a mosaic tile mural to Celebrate Autism Awareness.

Their finished mural represents the collaborative effort of their school community’s daily celebration of differences through their autism program lead by special education teacher, Ms. Eugenie O’Callaghan.

The basic concept of the mural is this: each student from the autism program was given a tile to draw a design on. These designs were then transferred to 4 other tiles. These tiles were then given to the student’s peer mentor, their 1:1 Instructional Assistant, and their parents. Looking at the mural you can see how the pictures may look similar but they are all different and unique as we are as human beings. Prendergast School’s Life Skills teacher Mrs. Eileen Lawlor was able to use the Celebrating Differences Mural to teach her daily social skills lessons. Walking through the hallways you observe teachers, students, and parents stopping to appreciate the Celebrating Differences Mural. The mural is Prendergast School’s permanent symbol of community that shines a light on autism awareness, celebrates diversity, and is a spot-on example of team work and collaboration.

Although Autism Awareness month is only once a year in April, Autism awareness is a daily event at Prendergast School.

Judy Primavera and Fred Hulley recognized this and awarded Prendergast with a $1,500.00 grant to incorporate the arts into their Autism Program and Character Counts Club. The Jaime A. Hulley Arts Foundation has awarded scholarships and grants to a wide variety of organizations and schools in Connecticut.

On Sept. 8 the foundation is holding their “Evening for the Arts” fundraiser at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University.

To make a contribution to the foundation or for more information please visit www.jamiehulleyartsfund.org.

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