Fall Festival brings joy and community to students with diverse learning needs
Photo cutline: Bloomsburg High School CTE Education students Penelope (left) and Reese (center) are in charge of the Fall Festival’s Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe game that was being competitively played this round by Bloomsburg students, Dreshawn, Evan, and Remmy.
Brooke Bowman, a learning support teacher at Bloomsburg Middle School, and Melissa DeMent, a secondary complex life skills teacher, coordinated the festival. With the support of teachers, staff and students from all four districts, the event offered a variety of activities that encouraged creativity, teamwork and fun.
Bloomsburg’s career and technical education (CTE) students, guided by teacher Barbara Martz, played a special role in the day. They helped set up and run activity stations that included face painting, ring toss, a photo booth, a candy corn guessing game, fall leaves coloring, cornhole and pumpkin painting. Alongside the games and crafts, students enjoyed seasonal treats that added to the festive atmosphere.
Events like this not only create joyful memories but also highlight the value of programs like CTE. Career and technical education provides students with the academic, technical and hands-on skills that prepare them for future careers, while connecting classroom learning to real-world experiences. The Bloomsburg students’ leadership at the festival reflected how CTE empowers young people to make meaningful contributions to their schools and communities.
Most importantly, the Fall Festival offered a welcoming space for Life Skills students to celebrate together, supported by their peers and teachers, and served as a reminder to everyone present of the power of inclusion, friendship and community.