Students Spread Kindness Through Service!
HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students recently took part in a heartwarming community service project, creating Kindness Kits in the spirit of Valentine’s Day and in preparation for BCPS’ Day of Service and Love, honoring the lives lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. After a focused lesson on empathy and compassion, students researched hygiene supplies, practical necessities, comfort items, and non‑perishable snacks on Walmart.com. Working with a $30 budget, they carefully selected items they felt would truly support someone in need.
The class then headed to Walmart to purchase their selected items, putting both their planning skills and independence into action. Back in the classroom, they assembled their Kindness Kits and added a heartfelt touch: a handwritten note of encouragement in each bag. Students were able to take their kits home to give to someone in need or donate to a local shelter—spreading kindness directly into their communities. What a meaningful way for our students to practice empathy, build real‑world skills, and make a positive difference. These moments remind us that even small acts of kindness can have a big impact.
Building Independence Through a Fun-Filled Valentine’s Celebration
The HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. class had a wonderful Valentine’s Day celebration filled with love, learning, and creativity! Students enjoyed themed activities like reading about the history of sweethearts, completing a math activity, and decorating their own Valentine bags from Target. Students enjoyed a delicious lunch while their teacher and paraprofessionals transformed into a Chipotle ‑style crew, serving up custom bowls and burritos as students placed their orders and chose their ingredients. It was a fun, hands‑on way to build independence, communication, and decision‑making skills—plus the burrito bowls were a huge hit!
Students also took a trip to Michaels to shop for supplies for homemade soap gifts. During the party, they mixed scents and colors, created heart and rose molds, packaged their soaps beautifully, and wrote thoughtful notes for their families.
A Sweet Lesson in Life Skills and Independence
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!
Football, Fun, and Food: Super Bowl Party Highlights
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!
Students Score Big in Super Bowl Party Prep
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 Board Member Honored as Best Buddies Florida State Ambassador
We are excited to share that HDS Foundation Board Member Kate Gilson Miranda has been named one of the Best Buddies Florida State Ambassadors for 2025–2027! Kate’s passion, dedication, and commitment to inclusion continue to inspire us all, and this honor is so...
More Than a Meal: Lessons for Life
Our Broward HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students recently had the chance to enjoy several Community-Based Instruction (CBI) lunch outings, each one offering valuable real-world learning and social experiences! They visited three local favorites: Outback, Offerdahl's...
Exploring STEM Futures at Broward College
The HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students had an exciting opportunity to spend the day at Broward College exploring the ACCESS (Accelerating College Completion by Engaging Students in STEM) Project, a Title III Grant initiative. This project supports both the academic and...
HDS Mentors Making a Difference
A huge thank you to our amazing HDS Companies team members, Bridget Wong, Ashley Walker, and Delisay Baldaji for inspiring our Cypress Bay B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students during their Career Series! These incredible women shared their journeys from college to launching...
Business-Savvy and Tech-Ready
We’re so proud of Noam, a sophomore in the HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. program, for reaching an exciting achievement! This year, he earned certifications in Photoshop Premiere Pro and Business Management & Entrepreneurship. Noam set a goal and followed through with focus...
Building Skills & Earning Confidence
We’re incredibly proud of Alexandra, an HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. senior who’s already making a difference! Along with her studies, she’s gaining valuable experience and earning money as a freelance babysitter. Her dedication and hard work are truly inspiring, and we’re...
Learning Life Skills Through Gardening
Our Broward HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students participated in The Home Depot Garden Challenge, and they did an amazing job! This year, the project was scaled down from an outdoor garden to individual succulent planters. Working in teams of 2-3, they had a $50 budget to...
Making a Difference, One Student at a Time
We are proud to share the stories of these amazing teens & young adults during Autism Acceptance Month! Having a disability is not a limitation, it's part of the strength, perspective, and passion that fuels their journey. They’re pursuing their dreams, doing what...
Celebrating Jesus’ Path to Employment
Huge congratulations to Jesus on landing a new job! Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance have paid off, and we couldn't be happier for you. Wishing you all the success in this new chapter—go shine bright!
A Day of Celebration, Unity, and Acceptance
Special thanks to the amazing HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. teachers at our Miami-Dade High School for hosting such a fantastic event in celebration of Autism Acceptance Month! Our HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students and their classmates enjoyed a day filled with sweet treats donated by...