Students enrolled in the College Introduction to Sociology course attended a field trip to the Association for Habilitation and Residential Care (AHRC) Nassau, on Tuesday, Nov. 21. Students from sociology teacher Koren Pena’s two classes joined together alongside chaperones–
Pena and guidance counselor Jonathan Spector–to help with Thanksgiving-themed crafts.
AHRC Nassau was established 70 years ago due to a large stigma present as well as a severe lack of opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. The organization was formed by parents who refused to accept the maltreatment of their children with disabilities, and who decided to come together to form their own school. The AHRC Nassau website (ahrc.org) claims their mission is to “[empower] people to live fulfilling lives together with family, friends, and community.”
During the bus ride there, Spector let the students know that he used to work at the AHRC while in grad school and that he loved it. When Spector came to work in Lynbrook, he met and connected with Pena. The pair then decided to “take students from the sociology classes to visit the AHRC,” and they have been doing so for about 25 years. The two have managed to consistently take students to AHRC twice a year because of how deeply they believe in its importance. Pena said that it is made for students “to better appreciate and recognize that our world is diverse, and we are all not the same. However, despite our differences, we can always learn from one another and respect one another’s differences.”
The chapter the students visited is located in Brookville. Driving in, students first saw the white mansion the founders bought to house the school. Going farther in, the main campus revealed itself alongside a playground. Walking in, students were welcomed by staff and directed towards their various stations in the gymnasium. The stations consisted of arts and crafts projects like drawing and the making of turkey hats as well as food stations where students made their own cornucopias using Oreos, frosting, chips, and gummy candies.
The Brookville chapter offers education services for people aged 3-21, with accommodations for a wide variety of developmental disabilities. The students presented a learning opportunity for the volunteers as every student’s caretaker explained how to best communicate with him/her. This was an especially valuable experience for students considering special education careers in areas such as speech language or occupational therapy. However, this was not the only reason many participated in the field trip. Many, like junior Gabriella Ramirez, decided to go because she “was interested in the school and [had] always enjoyed working with kids. Also, [her] aunt used to work in a school similar to AHRC, so [she] was curious to see what her workday looked like.”
In the end, the experience was, as Pena said, “eye-opening.” Ramirez recalled, “This experience affected me in a positive manner. I left the building with a smile on my face and a new understanding of how everyday life is different from person to person.”
