Students from Mentor Schools’ CARES created sensory bags to help EMS workers navigate emergencies better

By Mimi Vanderhaven

When it comes to mutual understanding, sometimes little things can make all the difference in the world.

In an effort to help first responders relate to people on the autism spectrum, the students at CARES (Cardinal Autism and Resource Education School) in Mentor recently donated sensory bags to the EMS staff at LakeWest Hospital.

“Funded by Share A Vision, the purpose of the project is to give first responders the necessary tools to help people feel calmer in an emergency situation,” says Christy LaPaglia, who is the director at CARES. The 60 bags will be carried in EMS vehicles.

“We purchased the materials and brought them to school for the high school students to sort and assemble,” she says. “Bags include tools such as a white board with dry erase marker to enable an individual to communicate his or her feelings in a helpful way,” she says. “The flipside of the board features pictures of different body parts, so someone can point to what hurts. Also included are noise-cancelling earphones and dark sunglasses to prevent someone from feeling overstimulated, and several hand-held fidgets to promote relaxation.”

Christy reports the students on the project are currently closing the loop by working on an instructional video for the EMS staff to find out how to best use the bags.

The sensory bag project is just one way the school is interacting with the community this year. Christy says students in the high school program go to work with partners such as Boston Market, The Finish Line, Lake County Humane Society, the Winking Lizard and the Olive Garden, along with job coaches.

Specially designed to meet the needs of students with autism, the CARES school includes therapy and sensory rooms, as well as visually and physically engineered classrooms to reduce distractions and promote more effective teaching. The 72 students who attend CARES range in age from kindergarten to 22 years old. The Mentor School system educates 7,400 students from pre-K to 12th grade in seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school in addition to CARES. For updates, visit MentorSchools.net.