Hand-in-hand dances are held for adults with developmental disabilities. Colonia High School hosts an evening of games, arts and crafts, snacks, and music every second and fourth Tuesday of the month.
Colonia High School’s Interact Club hosts the hand-in-dance twice a month in Cafeteria two. Adults from the local community come out to join the students to have a good time. From 6:30- 8:30 pm there are puzzles, board games, arts & crafts, and snacks, which are donated by the Interact students who attend the dances. All the attendants enjoy the music being played. Whether it is the radio playing or a CD one of the adults brought to play, there is always some type of music beating through the air. Some of the attendees enjoy singing along and/or dancing to the music. The hand-in-hand dances are not actual dances as some people assume at times. The hand-in-hand dances are more of a get together to have fun.
Special Education, English and Spanish teacher, Miss Alisha Davison stated, “The best part is seeing the smiles on both the adults and student’s faces because they are both gaining something terrific from this experience.”
The first hand-in-hand dance of the 2014-2015 school year was on Tuesday, October 14, 2014. The attendance was slightly low because the event interfered with other activities the adults take part in, usually ceramics. However, the next hand-in-hand dance will be held on Tuesday, October 28, 2014; the Interact club hopes more adults are able to come and enjoy a night of fun. There is much one could gain from attending even just one hand-in-hand dance.
Davison explained, “People can learn how to give back to others and realize that life is what you make it. These adults are not given the best situations, however they are always wearing a smile and that says a lot.” While some students may not enjoy the hand-in-hand as much as some others, it’s really ‘what you make of it.’
“Hand- in-hand keeps me humble and is a reflection of why I became a teacher,” Davison remarked. Hand-in-hand is more than just a random act of kindness, more than a random doing of community service– it is family.
Senior, Alex Dobbin stated, “ Seeing the attendants happy, makes me happy.”
