Gersh Academy Students with Autism Make Gingerbread Houses for Town of Hempstead Affordable Housing Lottery Winners

LongIsland.com

Students with autism at Gersh Academy in West Hempstead specially make gingerbread houses for winners in Town Of Hempstead's Affordable Housing Lottery.

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West Hempstead, NY - January 14th, 2015 - Gersh Academy, a school which serves children and young adults on the autistic spectrum,  had some of its students prepare a special housewarming gift in the form of gingerbread houses for the seven winners of the Town of Hempstead’s affordable housing lottery drawing held on December 18 at the Hempstead Town Hall.

“The holiday season is the perfect time of the year for our students to share the joy and happiness they experience at Gersh Academy, their home away from home, with those who are experiencing homeownership for the first time. Making the gingerbread houses and participating in the event was a heartwarming experience for our students,” said Celeste Gagliardi, Gersh Academy Principal.

For the students with special needs, constructing the gingerbread houses was an enriching activity allowing them to be creative while providing the students with practical life-lessons including teamwork, socialization, self-sufficiency and goal fulfillment. Students worked independently and as a team to construct and decorate the gingerbread houses to present to the new homeowners.

“The delightful gingerbread houses the students of Gersh Academy made added a cozy ‘home sweet home’ feeling to our affordable home lottery event. Having the students participate demonstrated that this is truly a community event which highlighted that the dream of home ownership can come true.  They helped to make this event special for the winning families and everyone who participated,” said Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray.

Students created the gingerbread houses for the lottery winners as an edible representation of the new home being built for them. The construction of the seven houses is expected to be completed by fall 2015. Lottery winners also received a welcome doormat and an American flag kit from USFlag.com to adorn their new home.

To learn more about Gersh Academy and the programs offered at its location in New York, visit www.gershacademy.org

About Kevin Gersh
In 1991 Kevin Gersh was inspired by a very unique child with autism who was enrolled in one of his educational programs. Mr. Gersh recognized that this one child and all children alike, if given the right educational environment, appropriate instruction and highly trained dedicated staff, can learn and thrive despite their challenges. Based on this philosophy, Mr. Gersh founded Gersh Academy. Today Gersh Academy’s successful and much-needed programs for children in grades K-12 focus efforts on students who have disorders on the autism spectrum.

Currently, Gersh Academy has five K-12 locations, three on Long Island and two in Puerto Rico. In addition, Gersh Academy has a post-secondary residential program located in Buffalo, New York. This program offers a supportive living environment for young adults on the autism spectrum.  Information about this program can be found here.

About the Gersh Academy
Gersh Academy’s West Hempstead, Long Island, New York location is led by veteran Principal Celeste Gagliardi and a team of dedicated professionals. The school provides K-12 educational services for students from across the New York Metropolitan area. It is the goal of Mr. Gersh as well as the teachers and the staff of the school to provide exceptional services and programs and, whenever possible, that students are given the opportunity to return to their home schools and school districts with all the tools and skills they need to be successful and achieve their full potential. For more information about Gersh Academy, visit www.gershacademy.org.

Pictured are Gersh Academy students who displaying their  specially-made gingerbread houses as a welcoming gift for winners in the annual Town Of Hempstead Affordable Housing Lottery with (from left to right) Frosty The Snowman, Town of Hempstead Receiver of Taxes Donald X. Clavin, Gersh Academy Principal Celeste Gagliardi, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray, Gersh Academy Transition Director Scott Mergl and Santa Claus.

 

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