Holiday Celebration for Students, Staff and Families of Centers for Exceptional Children

Kindergartener Ivee Stone is clearly cut out for a career in the performing arts.

On Friday morning, when students from The Children’s Center and The Special Children’s School sang such holiday songs as “I Want to Be an Elf” on the stage in the auditorium at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Ivee waved his hands like a conductor during each song and bowed to the audience when each song was over.

“He is quite the performer,” said Brandi Manley, his kindergarten teacher at The Children’s Center.

Together, the two schools form The Centers for Exceptional Children, and, each year, the Winston-Salem Regional Association of Realtors sponsors a holiday celebration for the centers.

“It’s a perfect way to kick off our holiday season every year,” said Heather Miller, the association’s marketing director. “We think it’s important to give back to the community.”

The Special Children’s School focuses primarily on children with such developmental disabilities as Down syndrome and autism, and The Children’s Center focuses primarily on children with such physical disabilities as cerebral palsy. Both schools also serve typically developing children.

The celebration began with Doris Paez, the executive director of The Centers for Exceptional Children, welcoming everyone. After that came a series of student dances. In some, students used wheelchairs. Ann Guill, who volunteers at The Children’s Center as the dance coordinator, had choreographed the dances, and she called the square dance. When it was time for the square dance to begin, she told the audience that she was going to need their help with some enthusiastic “yeehaws” from time to time.

Some of the students in the audience went to work right away practicing their “yeehaws.” Guill called the square dance complete with “dosey does” and, when it was time, she called out, “Everyone say, ‘yeehaw!’”

They did.

“Great job, everyone,” she said when the dance was over.

After the dancing, it was time for the rest of the singers to join the students already on stage. The audience in the auditorium included parents, grandparents and other family members. As everyone settled in, children called out such greetings as “Hi, Dad” and “Mommy! Mommy!”

Once everyone was ready, Ian Hargis, who teaches music at The Children’s Center, led the students in a series of songs. Kathy Moore, the music teacher at The Special Children’s School, also worked with students in the music program.

For one number, Principal Carol Kirby of The Children’s Center read from the book Pete the Cat Saves Christmas, in which Pete the Cat gives his all to save Christmas, and every few verses the children would sing, “Give it your all.”   

After all the songs were done, some of the students gasped in surprise as Santa Claus himself (secretly known to some as Austin Caviness) came into the auditorium with a bag of candy.

Among the parents on hand was Jason Whalen, whose son Grant goes to The Special Children’s School. Whalen appreciates the personal attention the children receive there, he said.

Michelle and Ernest Smith, who have two children – Jeremiah, who is 4, and Aaliyah, who is 5 – at The Children’s Center, also talked about the individual attention their children receive.

“I wouldn’t have my children go anywhere else,” Michelle Smith said.

Heather Barto Wiley, who teaches at Reynolds High School, was there to see her daughter Selah, who is in the pre-school program for typically developing children. 

“We really love the environment at The Children’s Center,” Barto Wiley said.

As everyone headed out after the celebration, Principal Sandra Gilmer of The Special Children’s School, said, “It’s always the most wonderful kickoff to the holiday season for us.”