(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A Southwest Side elementary school raised money Wednesday for Special Olympics and highlighted its art and music therapy classes for special-needs students.
While music therapist Craig Christiansen played guitar, his diverse learners banged bongos and played other percussion instruments at Mt. Greenwood Elementary School.
Special Olympics funds the weekly class, as well as a similar art class.
Art therapist Jacqueline Carmody was demonstrating how to make art by simply placing a painted dot on paper, adding water and blowing on it.
Chicago Schools CEO Pedro Martinez checked out both classrooms.
“This wasn’t even their regular day, and, if you know about autistic children, they like structure and the fact they were so enjoying the music, they were calm, just shows you about the program — how high quality it is and how great the instructor is.”
Martinez says he’d like to see the pilot program at Mt. Greenwood School expanded.
“What we’d love to do is use that as a prove-point for other funders so that we can go at districtwide,” he said.
Mt. Greenwood School also was raising money for this Sunday’s Special Olympics Polar Plunge. Students who donated gleefully took strips of duct tape and fastened Principal Kate Reidy to a gym wall.
Ald. Matt O’Shea loved it. “You won’t see any other school where the principal allows herself to get taped to a wall to raise funds, but this is an example of what Mt Greenwood Elementary School is.”
One special needs student and Special Olympian, 13-year old Kidd Carrig, proudly wore his Special Olympics medals. He said he will be dressed as the Grinch as he jumps into chilly Lake Michigan Sunday.
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