St. Mary’s Hospital for Children in Bayside held its annual “Moving Up” ceremony on Wednesday morning, where the children graduating from the Pre-K program celebrated with family and staff.
The graduation ceremony was tailored to the special needs of the children, much like the outpatient program they are graduating from, which accommodates each child’s medically complex condition. Unlike a general education program, St. Mary’s two-year Pre-K program provides children the opportunity to learn and play while staff ensure they remain medically stable and safe.
Instead of clapping, attendees threw up jazz hands and pom poms so as not to overstimulate the children, who were sensitive to sounds and stage fright. The attendees, almost all in face masks, joyfully celebrated the youth while respecting the accommodations.
“Sometimes our kids may have a terminal diagnosis, so this might be the only graduation experience they ever have,” said Carol Park, Director of Early Education since 2020.
This year, 37 students graduated from the program. At the ceremony, their individual teachers handed them a diploma roll in between song breaks. For the parents, it was also a celebration of individual achievements, like seeing their child walk for the first time or remain composed in an overly stimulating environment.
The nearest facility that has this type of program is in Yonkers. Staff say that it is incredibly important for children with special needs to have the normalizing experience of attending Pre-K. Many of them will go on to attend kindergarten programs at public schools that accommodate children with disabilities while also attending St. Mary’s after-school program.
The Bourbon Street restaurant on Bell Boulevard, a longtime supporter of the hospital, was also honored with a plaque at the ceremony.
“Their commitment to our work, words of encouragement, their visits to our school and generous donations equip our staff with the materials, technology and training needed to create opportunities,” Park said to the audience. “They are here year after year. We are so thankful.”
She emphasized that funding from the state, which keeps various programs at St. Mary’s free for parents, comes and goes. The instability is one of the main reasons why their fundraising events and regular donations are crucial to their organization.
“Schools like ours are closing left and right due to poor funding from New York State,” said Park. “Any advocacy that we can do on behalf of our program is really important so that we stay open for the children.”
