Students at Maywood Academy met with area first responders for a day of fun and learning about what it takes to keep our communities safe.
This month, the school held its annual Community Helpers Day, an event that allows students to meet and learn from emergency services personnel in a fun and educational setting.
“The purpose of this event is to help our students with diverse needs make positive associations between first responders and the work they do to help keep our communities safe,” said Christine Scherbyn, a social worker within the Special Education Division.
Scherbyn said some students may only encounter medical and safety personnel such as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), police officers or firefighters during emergencies, which can create fear and anxiety. Meeting these professionals in a school environment allows students to learn more about the professions as well as how to respond to emergencies and life-saving tips.
“Getting a peek into the back of an ambulance can make all the difference for our students,” she said. “Learning what happens behind the scenes and with a dose of fun can help them make positive associations.”
Capital Region BOCES School Resource Officer (SRO) Matthew Stott of the Colonie Police Department has been instrumental in support of this initiative, inviting his coworkers from the SWAT and the ambulance corps to attend Community Helpers Day, said Scherbyn. Members of the Verdoy Fire Department were also present, as well as Jamie Smith Quinn, executive director of the FASNY Museum of Firefighting in Hudson who brought along Molly the Museum Dog.
“We’ll use any opportunity we can get, especially for the younger students with special needs who traditionally may not have had the best experiences with officers, to see us in a different light,” said Stott.
Scherbyn also received a great deal of support from two student interns from Niskayuna High School who helped coordinate the event. “The volunteers who are assisting us this summer are senior Dillon Kayastha and 10th grader Abbey Scherbyn. Both have been running crafts and sports during our extended school year,” she said.