FFA students design new way for nonverbal kids to communicate
HENDERSON, Tenn. — Chester County High School’s Future Farmers of America students designed a way for non-verbal children to better communicate while having fun.
“This is for our students who have a hard time communicating with others, so that if they have anything they need to say, they can simply use this communication station to convey what they need,” said Teresa Crouse, FFA Advisor at Chester County High School.
The communication station is located at Gene Record Memorial Park in Henderson.
Chester County High school FFA students wanted to design the sign not only for their school project, but beyond that.
“Some of our friends, even as we were younger, we didn’t understand what they were saying on the playground or outside because they’re non-verbal, so we came out here and we decided this could be a way to help them,” said Colton Gates, an FFA student.
Those who are non-verbal can easily come to the sign, point out what they’re trying to communicate, or even do the gesture that is printed on the sign themselves.
“Whether they’re out here just playing around, whether they get hurt, whether they want to play, whether they’re ready to leave, use the restroom, anything that could help them communicate to one another so nothing bad goes wrong,” Gates said.
Gates says it was important to place the sign at the park.
“The whole community uses this park, and whether they’re still a school-aged child or they’re an adult, they can still use the sign either way,” Gates said.
Crouse says it’s just an extension of what FFA’s mission is about.
“We work in agriculture a lot, but it’s a lot of community outreach, trying to help our community,” Crouse said.
Gates says he wishes more communities would do nice gestures like this to help everyone better communicate who needs it.
