Copper Hills High School’s special education teacher, Jacqueline Sheppick, organized a community outing to the Nutcracker Ballet for her students and the peer-tutor program called “Copper Hills Pals.” The field trip is a part of the life skills curriculum, teaching students essential life and social skills to prepare them for adulthood.
Two of the skills students learn are restaurant etiquette and theater etiquette. After numerous classroom lessons, students get real-life experience putting their skills to the test with an outing to Ballet West’s The Nutcracker and breakfast at a local restaurant.
Copper Hills High School took 48 people on the trip, including Ms. Sheppick’s students and the CH Pals Club. The peer tutors played a crucial role in providing support and friendship to the students as they took their newfound skills out into the community.
For Ms. Sheppick, this community outing is more than just a field trip. It is a chance for her students to apply their skills in real-life situations, foster independence and confidence, and build lifelong friendships. This is the ninth consecutive year that she has taken her students to the ballet, and it has become a beloved tradition for teachers, administrators, and students.