Graduating from school is one of the most memorable things. It’s special because it celebrates your hard-earned accomplishments. After help from the community, this special needs school in Nevada had an impactful graduation.
John F Miller is a special needs school that is located in Las Vegas. Graduation is a big milestone for people with disabilities.
The school was planning on having the graduation and prom ceremony in the multi purpose room on campus. The only issue is that the they lacked funds needed to make the ceremony special for the graduates.
That’s when Fox5 Surprise Squad took on this project of helping out the school. Monica Jackson from Fox5 went to the school and gave Jean Reynolds, principal at John F. Miller, an unanticipated visit.
Principal Reynolds told Monica from Fox5 how special the students are. She said that they have various impairments, from students that are in wheelchairs to students that can’t talk. She said that even with their disabilities, they are the most wonderful students you can find.
During the meeting, the two ladies talked about what graduating meant to the students. Principal Reynolds said that sadly, some students of the school don’t live to see their graduation day.
Principal Reynolds continued on telling Monica that because of that, this is a huge milestone that everybody is proud of the students for. For Principal Reynolds, it was extremely important to honor the graduating class in such a way that showed students that they mean something to the school.
Monica had the perfect idea in mind after the meeting with Principal Reynolds. Monica asked her for the keys to the multipurpose room, and started work right away.
What the Fox5 Surprise Squad did next is beyond incredible. The Surprise Squad had only 7 hours to make this miraculous event happen. They stayed focused on the goal, and worked with a positive attitude.
Every team member did their best to make the ceremony an unforgettable experience for the graduates. Monica explained that they just want to do their part and help make the day extra special.
The work that the Surprise Squad did was kept confidential until the big unveiling. Each member of the team was ecstatic to be able to make a difference in the graduates’ lives.
Todd Brown, the Fox5 General Manager and V.P., said that they knew something needed to be done when they heard the graduation would be a few balloons and some refreshments.
When the room was finally finished, the John F. Miller graduate class were in awe when they saw that the multi-purpose room had been transformed into a celebration hall. One parent said that they had never seen expressions on the students faces like that.
The room was decked out with gorgeous curtains, elegant flooring, beautiful lighting, and cupcake displays on green tables. It was complete with a red carpet that led into the celebration area.
The students had so much excitement. They couldn’t believe the community put all this work in just for them to have a special graduation.
Fox5 went farther and had another surprise for them – they brought the students a live entertainment act! They called in the performers of Cirque du Soleil, who were transported to the school in secret to give the performance.
The performance and graduation was something that the students genuinely enjoyed and cherished. The ceremony closed with one last surprise.
Residents of the Las Vegas community wanted to show their support to the students by giving the school funding. American First Credit Union, Albertans, and Vons each gave $5,000 to the school.
Then, United Nissan donated $25,000 to the school! They also provided John F. Miller with a partnership that will help them get funding in the future.
The community went above and beyond to change the lives of these students. The whole school could not be more grateful. Their hard work provided so many people with joy.
It’s so wonderful to see people come together to make a difference. This event will hopefully give others inspiration to make a difference around them, also.