The HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Community-Based Instruction (CBI) outings that we host in collaboration with our local high school partners are much more than purely educational. They are an opportunity for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other abilities to feel part of their community and enjoy all of the benefits and experiences that come with visiting local establishments with their peers. 

Through these experiences, they practice money management, budgeting, food selection, and socializing. These skills cannot be taught in a traditional classroom environment, as creating real-life scenarios would only provide part of the experience. That is why the HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S.  program frequently takes students on CBIs where they can practice socializing, managing budgets, and other such skills that can easily be taken for granted by those not affected with Autism.   

This week our students visited a local Panera Bread Bakery Café. Students ordered a drink, a meal, and dessert on their own. They used their Bank of America Debit Cards to pay independently. Once their order was completed, they had to wait for it to be ready and grab their food at the pick-up counter.  Those that purchased fountain drinks had the opportunity to practice using the self-serve drink dispenser. The students truly enjoyed their delicious lunch and the chance to socialize with their classmates.  

It’s experiences like these that make our HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Programs so successful! 

Students from our HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Program visited Board & Brush Creative Studio as part of their Community-Based Instruction (CBI). They each had an opportunity to use their imagination to create a personalized wood design. Various stencils, including those with different gaming controls, travel-related themes, initials, and automobiles, were designs the students had chosen to use for this activity. The students put on their work aprons and prepared to start as soon as they arrived at the studio. Before beginning the project, students followed a few fundamental wood design steps. First, they had to distress the wood with a hammer, sand the sides to ensure they were smooth, and pick a backdrop color before they could start painting the wood. The students then had to use their stencil design by sticking it to the piece of wood, painting over it, and then gently removing it. To properly remove the stencil while preserving the design required much patience. The students also enjoyed a break having lunch together and socializing with their friends. Each student left the CBI proud of what they had created and eager to hang it in their rooms. What a wonderful experience and fantastic opportunity to put Resources, Development, Growth, Empowerment, and Social Skills into practice.