Teens and their adults enjoy a Beyond Words class at HCLS Miller Branch.
by Megan B.
You may already know and love Beyond Words, our monthly program that kicked off in January 2024 at HCLS Miller Branch, created especially for adults and teens with developmental and intellectual disabilities. As Peg Prentice, the visionary behind the program and Instructor and Research Specialist at Miller, puts it: “Beyond Words is not just a class; it’s an invitation to celebrate the joy of discovery and the magic of shared experiences while creating personal connection and growth.” And clearly, the community agrees! Thanks to amazing support and lots of happy participants, Beyond Words now runs monthly at the East Columbia, Central, and Savage branches too.
After seeing the joy and connection that Beyond Words has brought to adults and teens, and recognizing a real need for similar inclusive fun for younger kids, Peg and the awesome Miller team got to work on something extra special.
Introducing…Beyond Words Junior! This exciting new class is just for children ages 6–11 with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Each month will bring a fresh, engaging theme to spark imaginations and create lasting memories. Beyond Words Junior is all about fun, friendship, and celebrating every child for exactly who they are.
Fantasy & Fairy Tales! Wednesday, September 3 | 6 – 7 pm HCLS Miller Branch Explore a world of whimsical wonder…think castles, dragons, magical creatures, and maybe even a sprinkle of fairy dust. Ages 6-11 with adult.
Mark your calendars and get ready for an unforgettable adventure! Register here.
Megan B. is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Miller Branch. She is constantly curious and loves to learn new things.
Beyond Words is a vibrant and inclusive monthly class designed to spark joy and ignite the imagination of participants with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
By Peg P.
Beyond Words, a new class at HCLS Miller Branch and now at East Columbia too, began with a simple question from a frustrated mom of a teen. After scanning the multitude of offerings on our Teen Monthly Calendar, she asked, “What classes do you have that would be appropriate for my son?” While I explained that her son was welcome at any Teen class, I understood what she meant, as the young man had a moderate developmental/intellectual disability and we had no specifically designed offerings for him at the time.
This was actually something that had been percolating in my mind for a while as I frequently see customers and their caregivers using our computers to play games, watch videos, etc. It always takes me back to the days when I was a caregiver in a group home for adults with developmental disabilities, when it was difficult to find free developmentally/intellectually appropriate opportunities for the group.
In order to do this right, I knew that I needed to get some input from the community as to what they would like to see in terms of monthly classes, so I reached out to a few of our “regular” customers and caregivers for ideas. Together, we came up with the idea to have five stations that participants could rotate through – Motor Skills, Arts & Crafts, Movement, Cognitive Skills, and a Sensory station. The activities would change each month according to a theme and would be differentiated and/or have appropriate accommodations based on varying skill level or needs. For instance, arts and crafts supplies include markers, acrylic paint pens, crayons, egg-shaped palm crayons, a variety of different brush handle sizes, etc., not only to accommodate creative choice but also to ensure that folks with limited motor ability can still participate.
We have two different monthly classes at Miller Branch to accommodate customer availability. Our adult classes (18 and up) take place on second Tuesdays from 10 am – 12 pm. Teen classes are on fourth Wednesdays from 5 – 7 pm, when the teens are out of school and can attend with their parents or other caregivers. It also gives folks a way to socialize with others of their own age group.
I’m happy to say that Beyond Words has been a great success and has helped to partially fill an often-overlooked need within our community. Participants and caregivers have nothing but good feedback about this class and are thrilled that it has expanded for adults at the East Columbia Branch, creating more opportunity for folks to attend (thanks to the efforts of Adult Instructor Sharon Pruitt-Young, who opted to mirror our program at Miller).
There are many parts of my job as a Teen Instructor that bring me great joy, but nothing else comes close to the way I feel after a Beyond Words class. The experience really is magical, and I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of it. Special thanks to Stephanie and Michele at HCLS Miller Branch for their input and making this possible.
Peg Prentice is a Teen Instructor & Research Specialist at HCLS Miller Branch. She is a consummate nerd who has played Dungeons & Dragons for 40+ years, loves science (especially if there are fire and explosions involved), has an insatiable appetite for obscure factoids (Did you know that wombats’ poop is cube-shaped?), and was usually the last one picked for kickball.
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