APE Field Day is an event hosted at Brewster High School once a year for all the special education students throughout the district. Student volunteers, returning alumni volunteers, and staff members alike all gathered to help with the special day.
The day started with the volunteers, with everyone heading over to the field to help set up all the events and games that were going to take place. Some of these events included an obstacle course, a sidewalk chalk station, a bubble station, relay races, an art station set up by the National Art Society, and a fire truck station hosted by the Brewster Fire Department. As the festivities were going on, the band played music and hosted dance breaks for the athletes. Before the opening ceremony began, the students and the band took one large picture on the bleachers.
The day started with the different schools being announced into the center of the field by our Bear: first the high school, then Wells, CV Starr, and finally JFK. Brewster was lucky enough to also be joined by North Salem. All schools were then separated and sent to different stations to start. After an 8 minute period, the different groups switched to the next station in a rotation. Once the events and activities concluded, students were called to the center of the turf one final time for another picture and the closing ceremony.
Student Alex Knight’s favorite part of field day was the parachute. Student Christian Pinel said, “Field day is fun because I love the big parachute and face paint. The art kids painted a mushroom on my arm.” Angelica Benvenuto said that she loved field day because she “got a flower tattoo” and she enjoyed the relay race and the parachute, as well. Finally, student Dominic Delzio-Pulver said that he liked the fire truck because he liked the hose and spraying the water.
I asked some of my fellow volunteers why they loved field day and why they came back to help. Returning alumni volunteer Jarrid Bryggman said that, “What Career skills does for the community Brewster allows many families to thrive and coming back for the field day is a way of celebrating the program and a small way of saying thank you to all of the students and the teachers. Plus, I get to hang out with some of my best friends!” Class of 2023 graduate Emily Babio said, “I come back every year because I like to see my Career Skills friends, past teachers and aides, and spend the day with other school district students. It is so rewarding to see how these students have grown into independent young adults. Being a student volunteer throughout my high school career is something I’ll never forget, and (it) led me to special education in college. Coming back every year is very special to me!” As a volunteer myself, I can tell you that field day was an unforgettable experience for me. I had so much fun getting to work with all the kids all the way from JFK to high school!
Festivities lasted for over four hours. The students and volunteers then came inside for a much-needed day of rest. Everyone had so much fun and already can’t wait for next year.