Toll Gate GOP students hold t-shirt sale to get iPads for program

Posted 5/15/14

In an effort to raise funds to purchase their own technology for their classroom, students in the Growth Opportunities Program (GOP) at Toll Gate High School have designed autism awareness t-shirts …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Toll Gate GOP students hold t-shirt sale to get iPads for program

Posted

In an effort to raise funds to purchase their own technology for their classroom, students in the Growth Opportunities Program (GOP) at Toll Gate High School have designed autism awareness t-shirts that are being sold online through next week.

GOP is a special education program at Toll Gate focusing curriculum on daily living skills and exposing students to settings they need to learn appropriate social and communication skills. There are currently 11 students in the program.

“We work on increasing the students’ independence in skills in order to help them be less dependent on others when they leave us at the age of 21,” said Christina Metelski, special education teacher at Toll Gate.

Metelski said her students helped to design the t-shirt by providing drawings of what they believe friendship is. A designer at Teespring, the company creating and selling the t-shirts, then created puzzle pieces featuring the pictures created by the students. The shirt also features the words “Autism Awareness” and the slogan “every piece tells a different story.”

“The majority of the students drew pictures of multiple characters, some holding hands. This showed me that they have the cognitive ability to know that a friend is someone, not a family member, who they are close to,” said Metelski.

According to the site where the shirt can be purchased, the students “depicted their idea of friendship, ultimately showing that no mater what the hindrances may be, they completely understand the meaning and value of a friend.”

The t-shirt also features Toll Gate’s mascot the Titan on the back.

To create and sell the t-shirts, Metelski turned to Teespring, a company owned by her uncle. Teespring is an online company that allows individuals to customize and sell apparel online, with no upfront payment. A portion of the sale covers the cost of creating the shirts, and Teespring handles the shipping to customers.

The Toll Gate Autism Awareness shirts are being sold for $18, $17 of which is going to the program, with the goal of raising enough to purchase a Smart Board and at least two iPads for the classroom, with augmentative communication apps for learning.

“The augmentative communication will help by giving the students with hard to understand speech, due to their disability, the opportunity to be understood by others,” said Metelski. “Rather than having the teacher or teaching assistant constantly there to interpret what the student is trying to say, this is giving the student more independence in having conversations with peers and adults.”

This form of technology will allow lessons and curriculum to be presented in an interactive format, which is often more suited for these students to learn the best way they can. The advanced technology will also help the students develop their independence and confidence when it comes to social skills in different settings.

Metelski’s personal goal is to sell 100 shirts, earning $1,700. T-shirts are $18 and can be purchased at teespring.com/TolgateAA until Wednesday, May 21.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here