Many parents in the Tuscaloosa area rely on The Rise School for a healthy and safe learning environment for their children with disabilities. Although the school is widely known around town by those who are involved in the Rise School community, there are still many who don’t know what this program is, how it benefits the community, or how they can get involved.
The Rise School offers education to a variety of children with different disorders, such as Down syndrome and Autism. The mission of the school is to provide a nurturing environment for developmentally delayed children so they can learn and grow. The school also prepares these special needs students for the educational environments they will face in the future.
The Rise School, founded in October 1974, is one of the first early intervention programs to be federally funded. The program is designed to serve young children with physical, and mental disabilities from birth to the age of five. Originally located in a house on campus, it housed six children with two teachers. Due to an increase in federal funding, The University of Alabama has had the opportunity to expand it. The program now includes twenty-five students and teachers, as well as twenty-five speech, physical, and occupational therapists. In 1986, the school’s priorities were not only focused on service, but also teaching and research.
Many University of Alabama students recognize anything related to football, so the name “Gene Stallings” should sound familiar. Gene Stallings was a famous coach of the nineties, and was a fundamental part of the1992 National Championship. However, most people are unaware of the impact he had on the Rise School in Tuscaloosa. Gene Stallings had a particularly special bond with the program because his own son had Down syndrome. The school, with the help of Gene Stallings, expanded, and The Stalling Center was built on his behalf. Today, the school is still located in the Stallings Center, along with many other additional rooms for musical, occupational, and physical therapy.
The University of Alabama community should be aware of this program because it has benefited the lives of many children and can also aid students in their research and training. Furthermore, it helps faculty to integrate real-life observations into class learning. Many career fields such as musical therapy, human development, psychology, and communicative disorders use the Rise School to further their knowledge about individuals with disabilities, and to get hands-on experience. To get more information on this topic, I interviewed a student majoring in Communicative Disorders, who is hoping to become a Speech-Language Pathologist in the future. Allie told me that it is highly recommended, for those in her major, to spend time observing and volunteering at the Rise School, and that there are many different ways to get involved. She explained that volunteering there gave her additional knowledge that she could not have learned in an ordinary classroom. This is because when working with developmentally delayed children, it is imperative that students work hands-on with them and get a feel for their daily schedule.
The Rise School is very helpful to the city of Tuscaloosa. It provides an education for delayed children, and enables them to become somewhat independent. The children are able to be in a safe environment where they can be motivated to learn by therapists that specialize in working with their specific diagnosis. It also allows students and faculty to observe and research at this institution. It is a great way to get the students involved on campus with volunteering, and to get a first hand experience. The school is also an advantage to the faculty because they can stimulate further learning outside of the ordinary classroom. Overall, The Rise School is a positive and effective place for the Tuscaloosa community because it is beneficial to people who are personally affected by a disability, as well as those who take an interest in teaching and helping the disabled.
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