To get ready for Valentine’s Day, the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students took a fun and hands‑on budgeting trip to Target. Each student received a $12 budget and chose 13 goodies, one for every classmate. Some picked playful Valentine‑themed fidgets, while others went with classic chocolates. Beyond shopping, they practiced important life skills like budgeting, decision-making, navigating the store, using self‑checkout, and making sure they stayed within budget. A perfect mix of learning, independence, and Valentine’s Day fun!

The HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. class had an extremely successful annual Super Bowl Party. Students started off the day completing a variety of Super Bowl themed activities including reading an article about the Super Bowl, predicting who they thought would win, and completing a graphing activity based on votes. Then students transitioned outside to play a variety of lawn games with their classmates. They enjoyed games like football and bean bag toss. Then it was time to cook the “tailgate” food. Students assisted their teachers with making and assembling hot dogs and hamburgers. Students got to choose sides such as chips, fries, and of course dessert, all of which they purchased themselves at the beginning of the week.  As students enjoyed their food, they watched all of the Super Bowl halftime shows from the past 10 years!

In preparation for the annual HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Super Bowl Party, students took a trip to Publix to shop for all the food, drinks, and desserts for the big day.
Students were divided into small groups and given visual shopping lists, then navigated the store by reading aisle signs to locate each item. They even kept an eye out for BOGO deals to help stretch the budget!
Once their lists were complete, students headed to self-checkout to scan, pay for, and bag their purchases independently. This fun and engaging community-based instruction trip strengthened independent functioning, problem-solving, and budgeting skills all while getting ready to celebrate together.

HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students powered through a challenging workout at Cross Fit led by trainer Vanessa and gym owner Dominic, who shared great insights on staying active, eating well, and building healthy daily routines. The session included a full warm‑up, strength and conditioning exercises, and a discussion on healthy vs. unhealthy food choices. Students showed incredible effort and enthusiasm from start to finish!
After the workout, students headed to Flanigan’s, where they put their nutrition knowledge to the test. They reviewed the menu, chose healthy meals, ordered independently, and practiced excellent restaurant etiquette and social skills.
This week’s CBI focused on:
✔️ Budgeting
✔️ Independent Functioning
✔️ Social & Developmental Skills

\We are proud of their hard work, growth, and positive attitudes!

This week, our students enjoyed a fun and engaging leisure day at Monster Golf. After learning the rules, they played alongside their classmates, practiced teamwork, and built social skills in a relaxed, supportive setting. The excitement didn’t stop there, the manager kept the energy high with music, trivia, prizes, and even a special birthday shoutout for one of our students! Experiences like this help students grow socially while enjoying meaningful personal development opportunities.