Joliet West Students Roll Out the Red Carpet for Special Needs Population

The Joliet West High School cafeteria was transformed with Hollywood glamour during the annual Special Populations Dance organized by students in the Human Services Academy and Special Education Instructor Ashley Brettman.

“The dance provides students that have interests in human services careers the opportunity to perform community service while interacting with the special population that they someday may work to support,” said JWHS Academy Coordinator Dan Markun. “Over 50 guests and 50 student volunteers were on hand to make the dance a success.”

Attendees included JTHS Transition Center students and guests from the Lily Cache Special Recreation Association (LCSRA), Oak Lawn Park District and Special Recreation Services (SRS). The guests were treated like stars as they walked the red carpet. At the end of the night JWHS photography students donated their time and prepared a personalized photo souvenir for each of the guests.

“We have been hosting the dance for eight years and a lot of the same participants come back to the dance every year,” said Brettman. “They look forward to coming every year. Once we serve them food everyone dances the night away and has a blast.”

JWHS volunteers and staff also look forward to the event. “When I spoke to Mr. Rumpf, who participated with his photo students, he told me that being a part of the Special Populations Dance made him proud to work at our school,” said Markun. “That was so amazing to hear and I sometimes forget that by helping our students help others we are actually helping ourselves.”

Brettman feels the same. “I love hosting this dance every year because it provides our students at Joliet West a chance to interact with adults who have special needs. Many of our students have never been around anyone with special needs and it opens their eyes about how amazing these adults are,” said Brettman. “One of the student volunteers told Mr. Chellino that it makes her happy to see all of them so happy. That reaction right there is the reason why I love doing this every year”

The dance was made possible thanks to funding from a JTHS Foundation grant.