Oklahoma student creates sensory room for students with special needs

MORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS NOW HAVE A PLACE TO DECOMPRESS. A MOORE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR USED HER GOLD STAR GIRL SCOUT PROJECT TO HELP THEM. KOCO COLBY TERRELL SPOKEN WITH HER AND THE SCHOOL, WHO TOLD US HIS PROJECT WAS ALREADY GETTING GOOD USE. THE ROOT CAUSE OF MY PROBLEM WAS THE LACK OF SENSORY SPACES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS. KATHRYN STOCKSTILL NOTICED THAT SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS IN HER SCHOOL DISTRICT DON’T HAVE A PLACE TO AVOID THEMSELVES. SENSORY ROOMS CAN BE USED FOR A VARIETY OF NEEDS. WE CANNOT ALWAYS MEET EVERY SENSORY NEED IN A CLASSROOM. Sometimes kids just need a minute to be pulled away. FOR HER GIRL SCOUTS GOLD STAR PROJECT, SHE WANTED TO CREATE A SENSORY ROOM. THE PRINCIPAL OF HERITAGE TRAILS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MOORE SAYS IT WAS SOMETHING THEY HAD NEEDED FOR A WHILE. Ironically, while she was searching, I was searching too. So Kathryn filled an open classroom at Heritage Trails with all kinds of sensory equipment. They are called light shields and fluorescent lights are often quite harsh and really disruptive. And the school says those books, sensory toys and crash pad are already paying off. I actually personally brought a child here, in this student who loved the little tunnel. We had to roll him in and it took him five minutes to calm down, and it normally takes 30 minutes. Kathryn says seeing children benefit from her project means the world. WHEN I SENT THOSE PICTURES AND SAW THEY WERE BEING USED ALMOST EVERY DAY, SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES A DAY, I THINK THAT’S WHEN I REALLY REALIZED THAT IT’S SO MUCH, IT’S DONE SOMETHING. THE 18-YEAR-OLD GRADUATED FROM MOORE HIGH SCHOOL ON MONDAY AND EXPECTED TO GO TO SMU IN THE FALL AND BECOME A TEACHER

Moore High School creates sensory room for students with special needs

School says sensory toys, books and crash pad in the room are already making a difference

A Moore high school student’s Gold Star Girl Scout project provided special needs students at a local elementary school with a sensory room to decompress. “The root cause of my problem was the lack of sensory spaces in public schools,” said Katherine Stockstill, a senior at Moore High School. Get the latest interesting news by clicking here. Stockstill noticed that students with special needs specials in his school district had no place to escape when they were overwhelmed. “Sensory rooms can be used for a variety of needs,” she said. “We can’t always meet their every sensory need in a classroom. Sometimes kids just need a minute to step away.” For her Girl Scouts Gold Star project, Stockstill decided to create a sensory room. . Heather Grive, principal of Heritage Trails Elementary School in Moore, said it’s something they’ve needed for a while. “Ironically, while she was searching, I was searching,” Thrush said. Stockstill filled an open classroom at Heritage Trails with all sorts of sensory equipment, including light blankets. “They’re called light blankets. Fluorescent lights are often quite harsh and really deregulating,” she said. Thrush told KOCO 5 that the sensory toys, books and crash pad in the room already make a difference. >> Download the KOCO app 5. “I actually brought a kid here myself and that student loved the little tunnel,” Thrush said. “We had to roll him in and it took him five minutes to calm down, whereas it normally takes 30 minutes.” Seeing the impact of his project has been rewarding for Stockstill. “When I received these photos and saw that they were used almost every day, sometimes several times a day,” she said. “I think that’s when I really realized that this was what it was, that this was doing something.” The 18-year-old is set to graduate from Moore High School on Monday. She plans to attend Southern Methodist University in the fall to become a teacher.Court documents: 22-year-old man confessed to killing his parents and sister in Chickasha home. Man arrested in connection with child abuse in 2023 death of 5-week-old child. Oklahoma City Baby Strong winds snap power poles, trees during severe storms in Edmond WATCH: Sky 5 shows storm damage in Oklahoma City metro Severe storms bring large hail, damaging winds in parts of Oklahoma

MOORE, Oklahoma. —

A Moore high school student’s Gold Star Girl Scout project provided special needs students at a local elementary school with a sensory room to decompress.

“The root cause of my problem was the lack of sensory spaces in public schools,” said Moore High School student Katherine Stockstill.

Get the latest interesting news by clicking here.

Stockstill noticed that special needs students in her school district had no place to escape when they were overwhelmed.

“Sensory rooms can be used for a variety of needs,” she said. “We can’t always meet their every sensory need in a classroom. Sometimes kids just need a minute to step away.”

For her Girl Scouts Gold Star project, Stockstill decided to create a sensory room.

Heather Grive, principal of Heritage Trails Elementary School in Moore, said it’s something they’ve needed for a while.

“Ironically, while she was searching, I was searching,” Thrush said.

Stockstill filled an open classroom at Heritage Trails with all kinds of sensory equipment, including light blankets.

“They’re called light shields. Fluorescent lights are often quite harsh and really disruptive,” she said.

Thrush told KOCO 5 that the sensory toys, books and crash pad in the room already make a difference.

>> Download the KOCO 5 app

“I actually personally brought a child here, and that student loved the little tunnel,” Thrush said. “We had to roll him in and it took him five minutes to calm down, whereas it normally takes 30.”

Seeing the impact of his project has been rewarding for Stockstill.

“When I received these photos and saw that they were used almost every day, sometimes several times a day,” she said. “I think that’s when I really realized that this was it, that I was doing something.”

The 18-year-old is expected to graduate from Moore High School on Monday. She plans to attend Southern Methodist University in the fall to become a teacher.

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