Looking for volunteer hours or a way to get more involved in Holyoke High School’s community? Then join the HHS Adaptive Phys. Ed. Skating Program!

This is the 15th annual year of the program that Ms. Moriarty, Mr. Fournier, and Mrs. Brassil helped organize. The program involves students who receive special education services at Holyoke High and peer partners being able to ice skate at the local Fitzpatrick Ice Skating Rink. The program gives students a chance to explore different types of exercise rather than being in the gym, and some students even learn how to skate without the help of a sled.

“Without peer partners this unique program could not exist,” said Mrs. Moriarty. “Peer partners are the future advocates for people with special needs.”

Volunteer students known as “peer partners” in this program help the children with disabilities learn social skills and give the students a friend that they may not normally have made in school. The peer partners have just as much fun ice skating as well.

“I enjoy it very much,” Siobhan Brennan ’18 said. “I think it’s a great experience for kids in the school to work on communication skills and develop relationships with different kids in the school.”

This program runs every year around the month of February and lasts about 8-10 weeks. If you are interested in joining for next year you can contact Mrs. Brassil in the Athletics’ Office.