HOPEhouse Happenings Here s what s going on at HOPEhouse at Cotting School! Spring 2015 Spring has sprung at HOPEhouse! Finally the snow has melted and the flowers have bloomed in Lexington! Inside Middlesex Community College Classes Max writes about the classes he took this semester at MCC and compares the Bedford and Lowell campuses The RIDE Riley writes about how to get approved for the RIDE and shares his thoughts on using it this winter 2 7 At HOPEhouse the grill has been brought out of storage and Max and Riley have enjoyed grilling out for many of their dinner meals. The nicer weather has also allowed for some outside rec and leisure activities, such as mini golf, going to Salem Willows, and walking around Reading Center. Spring has brought many events, including the end of Max s second semester at Middlesex Community College, and Cotting School prom and Special Olympics for Riley. HOPEhouse residents are spending the end of May getting ready for their year-end vacation, which will be to Acadia, Maine during the first week of June. Once they return from their trip Max and Riley will be packing up their rooms and preparing to head home for summer vacation! Where has the school year gone!?
Middlesex Community College Classes By Max At Middlesex Community College I'm taking Drawing 1 and Art Appreciation this semester. I'm taking these classes because I want to fulfill my G.D.C. (Graphic Design Certificate) and someday have a job in this field. I like my drawing class because I've always enjoyed drawing all my life. However I don't like Art Appreciation because it's like history with all the boring textbook reading/note taking, thinking of art in-depth and analyzing art. Even though I like art I don't like doing a thorough analysis of art. I m taking classes at the Bedford and Lowell campuses this semester, and they both have their ups and downs. I like the Bedford campus better than the Lowell campus because it's closer to HOPEhouse, so I get more time to work on homework after class. Also the Bedford campus looks nicer than the Lowell one. Bedford's campus reminds me of camping with my family, which I really enjoyed. The only downside to the Bedford campus is that s where I have class on my longer day. The Bedford campus is woodsy/suburban and Lowell is more urban. The good thing about the Lowell campus is that there are interesting restaurants to check out. Drawing 1 is a hands-on class and Art Appreciation is a lecture class. Handson classes are more fun than listening to a lecture all throughout the class. Hands-on classes are fun because you only have to hear a short lecture and do in-class work. 2
HOPEhouse Events: May 2015 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1 Grocery during day 4 5 6 7 8 R&L: Kimball s mini golf & dinner out Event Descriptions House Meeting 11 12 13 14 15 Grocery during day Vacation Checklists Gym 4:30 R&L: Starbucks in Reading Center House Meeting 18 19 20 21 22 Grocery during day Vacation Shopping Riley s Birthday! Gym 4:30 R&L: Salem Willows dinner out Party 3pm House Meeting Pack for Vacation 25 26 27 28 29 No School: Memorial Day Grocery (BBQ produce) Gym: 4:30 R&L: BBQ @ HH, Grocery during day Final Vacation Pack LHS track & field House Meeting Grocery Shopping: Rotates depending on the students individual schedules and when they have gym class. Gym Class: Adapted Physical Education class with Mr. Cuddy 1 hour a week. House Meeting: Structured time for HOPEhouse residents to talk about their week, bring up conflicts or problems they are having, and plan for rec and leisure events. R&L: Recreation and Leisure. Happens on Tuesday of each week, students participate in the events previously planned at House Meetings. Questions? Ask a HOPEhouse resident or email Mrs. Wharff jwharff@cotting.org or Mrs. Thibodeau zthibodeau@cotting.org for more information. 3
HOPEhouse Vacation 2015 Acadia Park & Portland, ME The planning is underway! Picture from www.acadiaguide.com Proposed Itinerary Monday, June 1 Drive to Bar Harbor Tuesday, June 2 Explore Acadia National Park Wednesday, June 3 Drive to Portland Sea Dogs game at 7pm Thursday, June 4 Leave Portland Back to HOPEhouse This year the HOPEhouse residents decided to go to Maine for their end-of-the-year vacation. Together with Mrs. Thibodeau, Mrs. Wharff, and Mrs. Garceau, Max and Riley have planned a busy and fun! 4 days in Maine. The guys have recently started to think about what they will need to pack for the trip. Items to pack include clothes, shoes, personal care supplies like soap and shampoo, wheelchairs and other equipment, cell phones, ipads, and other devices, and sunscreen, bug spray, and raincoats. Some of the activities Max and Riley have planned include hiking and exploring Acadia National Park and going to a Portland Sea Dogs baseball game. In order to plan these activities the guys had to do some research online to make sure there were accessible trails and seats available at the ballpark. The HOPEhouse group will stay in Bar Harbor for 2 nights, then 1 night in Portland. Everyone will drive to Maine and back in the HOPEhouse van. They will pack some snacks to bring with them, but also eat out at restaurants and have a budget to stick to while on the trip for snacks, activities, and souvenirs. 4 Everyone is looking forward to having a great time!
Spring Pictures 5
Movie Review: Furious 7 On April 7, Riley and Max saw the movie Furious 7 for their Rec and Leisure activity. Below are their reviews of the new action-packed thriller! Riley s Review Max s Review I give the movie 5 stars! I liked it a lot. I liked the cars and the actors and actresses. My favorite scene was when Vin Diesel and his friends drove their cars out of an airplane, and landed safely in the road by using a parachute! This movie was full of action! If you like fast cool cars and explosions, this movie is for you! I give the movie 3 stars. It was over the top. They drove a car through one of the tallest hotels in the world and flew into another building. The car didn t get damaged and kept running. That is unrealistic! In one scene, Vin Diesel punches a car and doesn t even get hurt. There was a lot of action, which I liked. 6
The RIDE By Riley The RIDE is a type of transportation. I take the RIDE to work on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. The RIDE is a good way to get around. You can take the RIDE if you have a disability. You have to apply to get the RIDE. To apply, you get information about the RIDE and then you have an interview. When you have your interview you fill out paperwork and wait in the waiting room until your name is called. Then they ask you questions. Later they send a letter saying if you got accepted or not. I think the RIDE is frustrating sometimes. They were late to pick me up at work and here at HOPEhouse this winter. I do not like when they are late. One time someone from HOPEhouse had to come pick me up at work because the RIDE was late. The RIDE is good when they are on time to pick me up. These are the steps for using the RIDE: 1. I call the RIDE for a reservation. When I make an reservation, I tell them: My RIDE ID number, where I am getting picked up, where I want to go, the time I want to be at work, and the time I want to be picked up from work. 2. Call the night before my trip to find out what time the RIDE is going to pick me up. Sometimes they leave me a message on my cell phone the night before with my RIDE times. 3. Be ready 15 minutes before they are coming. Then if they are late you can call to see where they are after you have waited for 15 minutes. Sometimes they are early and sometimes they are late. 4. Tell the driver your name. And get in the vehicle. 5. Call HOPEhouse when you get to your destination so staff know you are safe. 7
Coming up for the end of the year Maine Vacation! End of year cookout Alumni BBQ Packing up & moving out Last day of school is June 24 HOPEhouse Happenings Spring 2015 HOPEhouse Happenings 451 Concord Avenue Lexington, MA, 02421 www.cotting.org/hopehouse