On the 21 st of December 2022 AYLUS Pearland volunteered at the SMILE program at Light and Salt Association’s Special Needs Care Center.
The SMILE program was designed to make people with special needs learn various life skills in a safe environment. It often includes activities such as the arts or music. On the 21st volunteers helped SMILE students make Christmas tree ornaments. Volunteers worked with SMILE members to cut and fold the paper into triangular prisms to hang from the Christmas tree. This lesson improved the SMILE students’ drawing skills and increased their hand eye coordination.
In the afternoon the volunteers and students first learned how to play the recorder. Students were taught all the notes and basic songs. Then they continued to learn how to play bucket drums as part of a two-month long program to play drums. This session was a continuation lesson in which everyone learned how to play Wavin’ flag. The AYLUS volunteers also practiced with SMILE participants to play the drums together. Drumming helps with anger management while boosting confidence among teens.
Learning drumming in a supportive environment makes people more comfortable with performing
onstage. Ms. Sharon Chen from the Light and Salt Association taught everyone to play together in sync, harmony, and flourish. Everyone had fun and learned a lot in a short session. Volunteers and SMILE members will also practice in their free time to learn how to better use the drum. At the Pearland Lunar New Year Gala AYLUS and SMILE will jointly play drumming on stage.
At the end of the day, AYLUS volunteers distributed Christmas gifts for all the SMILE participants.
Volunteers (6 hours): Alexander Healy, Kyle Healy
Volunteers (5 hours): Tina Dong, Aila Jiang
Reported by Alexander Healy
