Ms. Judy was holding onto Amanda’s wetsuit as she petted the dolphin. Little Amanda was visually impaired with a seizure disorder and very determined to interact with the dolphins. She was so excited she held onto the dolphin’s fin and she tried to swim away.
“Come and shake the dolphins’ fins Freddie,” the trainer asked our youngest student with Down syndrome. The trainer held onto his shoulders as Freddie held the dolphin’s fins. They turned around and the dolphin gave him a big kiss and in turn Freddie hugged the dolphin so tight he almost didn’t let go. I’d never seen him with such a great big smile on his face. We all gathered ourselves sadly together and headed back to the changing rooms. It was filled with excited voices of students and parents alike trying to peel the wetsuits off and enjoy the rest of their day at Sea World.
Our last group included our school nurse Melinda for Stephanie as her physical health was still very fragile. The staff at Sea World helper her mother take Cindy out of the wheelchair and place her in the hoist to be lowered into the pool. Stephanie and Brianna were beyond excited. Stephanie leaned over and gave the dolphin a kiss as he swam by her. “Oh, my goodness there were tears in my eyes, she was so excited when she touched the dolphin,” remembers Melinda. “I will never forget that experience. It was so awesome.” Their dolphin swam up and perched on the ledge so that they could feel her sleek body, shaking her head as her trainer pointed for her to swim around the pool and jump high into the air twisting as she came back down, a big splash landing on the girls. The complete joy in their faces was more than enough reward for our staff. The memories of the hard work and struggle we had endured to make this happen washed away and was replaced by these irreplaceable memories for these students with severe cognitive delays and their families.
In our small groups, we continued to enjoy the Sea World park watching the shows, feeding the animals, learning about our world’s oceans and how important it is to protect our environment. Our recycling program not only helped our students accomplish this incredible goal on their own, but also helped the environment. As part of our functional curriculum, our students learn life skills such as counting and budgeting, communication skills in ordering their own meals and then paying the employees for their meals. “I was so impressed at the way the students were able to go to the cafeteria at Sea World. They were able to order their own food, figure out if they had enough money and pay on their own,” recalls Melinda. A lifetime of educational benefits came from this experience. All too soon, it was time to pack up and get on the bus for our long drive back home. The day may have been over but the memories and experiences gained would last a lifetime.
Dawn Menge, PhD has won 29 national awards as the author of the Queen Vernita's Educational Series. As an educator, she holds a Master's and a Clear Credential in moderate/severe disabilities and a Bachelor's in human development. Dr. Menge has been teaching severely handicapped students for 16 years.