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Plants grown by students with disabilities at Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA) today were donated to doctors, nurses and support staff at UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg and Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center as a demonstration of gratitude for their work during the coronavirus pandemic. Fifty plants, including purple basil, pineapple sage and jade, were grown at […]
04/13/2020
Plants grown by students with disabilities at Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA) today were donated to doctors, nurses and support staff at UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg and Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center as a demonstration of gratitude for their work during the coronavirus pandemic.
Fifty plants, including purple basil, pineapple sage and jade, were grown at AgWorks at CCA™ , the school’s Harrisburg-based aquaponics facility, as part of CCA’s Goals, Relationships, Opportunities and Workmanship (GROW) program.
The GROW program is designed to help students with autism and intellectual disabilities work on social skills, independence, and transition and employability.
When the 10-week program kicked off in February, students were given the goal of growing plants to bring to market, with lessons on food safety, marketing skills, social skills and money management; however, the program was put on hold when schools were closed due to the pandemic.
The AgWorks at CCA™ team and CCA’s special education teachers then worked with the students remotely to bring the program to completion. Using online technology, students met to identify an opportunity to use what they learned by donating the plants to medical professionals to thank them for what they are doing to help patients impacted by the coronavirus.
“These students are to be commended for their hard work, dedication and selflessness,” said Dr. Maurice “Reese” Flurie, president and CEO of CCA. “I am proud of each one of them for accomplishing their goal and giving back to the community.”
The students also wrote letters to include with the plants to tell the nurses, doctors and support staff about themselves and the program, and to thank them for their hard work.
To support students outside of CCA, the GROW program included students from the Vista School in Hershey, which provides services to children and adults living with autism in central Pennsylvania.
The plants were grown by students before the school’s closure and donated to hospital workers by CCA staff practicing safe social distancing measures.
Learn more about CCA by visiting ccaeducate.me.
Categories: News Release
