‘Growing Abilities’ offers Monroe County students opportunities to explore, discover

Staff Reports
·1 min read
At Monroe County Intermediate School District's "Growing Abilities" event (from left) Sam, Allison and Jasper Buber plant flowers to take home.
At Monroe County Intermediate School District's "Growing Abilities" event (from left) Sam, Allison and Jasper Buber plant flowers to take home.

MONROE — Providing opportunities to grow, explore and discover was the theme of "Growing Abilities" hosted by the Monroe County Intermediate School District.

Open to children up to age 5, families were able to meet at the MCISD Transition Center earlier this month to learn about nature and how plants grow and thrive.

Dexter, Monroe County Intermediate School District's therapy dog, welcomed guests to "Growing Abilities," an MCISD event that connects students with the community.
Dexter, Monroe County Intermediate School District's therapy dog, welcomed guests to "Growing Abilities," an MCISD event that connects students with the community.

According to Kriston Roman, an MCISD Transition Center teacher who works with the MCISD Greenhouse Program, "Growing Abilities" helps students connect with their community and teaches them how to volunteer their time while having fun and making connections.

The event brings the older students from the MCISD Transition Center and younger students from early childhood special education together.

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In addition to participating in a variety of activities like planting flowers, music and movement and playing with bubbles, participants got the opportunity to meet with Great Start Collaborative’s community partners.

“The feeling at 'Growing Abilities' is always this wonderful springtime joy of families and the community getting together outdoors to play,” Bridgette Halcomb, Great Start Collaboratives director, said in a written statement. “The event really grew this year with the addition of the GSC's community partners, the fire truck and dive team truck, Dexter, the MCISD's therapy dog, and all of the hard work and care put in by MCISD staff and the Transition Center students.”

Katie Bourbina, MCISD early childhood director, provides entertainment for the "Growing Abilities" crowd.
Katie Bourbina, MCISD early childhood director, provides entertainment for the "Growing Abilities" crowd.

Halcomb said more than 100 people attended the two-hour session.

“Seeing the older students interact with the younger ones, helping them with digging and planting, is a wonderful opportunity to highlight what the Transition Center kids do,” she said.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe County ISD's Growing Abilities helps students make connections