Time to Celebrate!

We took some time today to celebrate...we had SO much to celebrate!!!  Today we hosted our 3rd Annual End of the Year picnic.  We took time to celebrate all of our accomplishments and learning from this year by watching our Video Yearbook...ask a PrairieWood student if you would like to see this, they all have their own copies.  We took time to celebrate our PrairieWood Alumni by enjoying lunch and chatting about some adult accomplishments of Allison and Melissa, who graduated from PrairieWood last year.  We also celebrated our 2010-2011 PrairieWood graduates by presenting certificates and gifts to Cassie and Brian (Andy received his earlier this week).  What a happy day with so many accomplishments to celebrate!

Our feature blogger this week is Brian.  Here is what he has to say about his week at PrairieWood...

"This week at PrairieWood I learned about the Geographic Bee in the News2You.  I enjoyed vacuuming at the Hotel.  I was challenged by scooping ice cream out of the container for my cooking project.  At PrairieWood I would like to learn more about making PB&J sandwich."

Mr. Whitehead celebrates with current and past PrairieWood students.

Congratulations Cassie!

Congratulations Brian!

Congratulations Andy!

 We are so proud of all the accomplishments of all our PrairieWood Students, new and old!!! 

WHAT A WEEK!!!

We have had a very busy and eventful week at PrairieWood.  Several of our students had very exciting meetings where they received their high school diplomas and were staffed out of the PrairieWood program.  We had our usual routines of cooking, riding the bus, grocery shopping, doing chores and going to work as well.  Then, on Thursday we enjoyed a BEAUTIFUL day at the ballpark and watched the Kernels come out of their losing streak.  We wrapped up our busy week with a delightful day at Palisades park in Mt. Vernon.  There we enjoyed a relaxing cook-out lunch, yard games, and even took time to enjoy (and draw) the scenery.  Our feature bloggers this week are Sarah and Andy.  Here is what they have to say about their week at PrairieWood.

Andy: "This week at PrairieWood I learned to make Taco Salad for lunch.  I enjoyed picking up garbage all over grounds.  I was challenged by following directions.  At PrairieWood I would like to learn more about taking care of plants.

Sarah: "This week at PrairieWood I learned where the chocolatee chips are in Hy-Vee.  I enjoyed the Kernels game.  I was challenged by cleaning the lockers by myself at the hotel.  At PrairieWood I would like to learn more about Parks."

Andy enjoying the sunshine at the Kernels game.

Brian purchasing his snack at the Kernels game.

Ahsia drawing the beauty at Palisades park.

We LOVE cook-out lunches!!

Kendra having a blast drawing and chatting on a beautiful Friday afternoon.

Have a great weekend!!!!

And the countdown continues...

School is definately winding down.  With the beautiful and summer-like weather we experienced this week, we found it difficult to focus on the tasks that our school days require of us.  We are ready for summer!  Our feature blogger this week is Kendra.  Here is what she did this week at PrairieWood...


"This week at PrairieWood I learned about Jumping Frogs in my News2You.  I enjoyed coloring on one of my worksheets.  I was challenged by working hard.  At PrairieWood I would like to learn more about playing my favorite Dolch word game."

Enjoy your weekend!

A "taste" of summertime

Happy Friday to you all!  And what a BEAUTIFUL Friday it is!!  PrairieWood students and staff made sure to enjoy this beautiful weather by a day outside.  First we enjoyed a wonderful picnic lunch at the Swisher Park.  Many of our kids live in the Swisher area and were excited to have some Recreation and Leisure time close to home.  Our next stop was a bit farther south in North Liberty.  There we visited a snow cone shop owned by our friend Donna.  She treated us to a little taste of summertime.  We got to make and enjoy our own snow cone.  What a treat!  They had so many delicious flavors to choose from...some of us even tried more than one!  We hope to go back there again this summer, this time with our friends, families, and staff.  Our feature blogger this week is Ahsia.  Here is what she had to say about her week at PrairieWood.

"This week at PrairieWood I learned to take the city bus to the Kirkwood Rec. Center.  I enjoyed eating my chicken patty lunch outside on the deck.  I was challenged by cleaning the glass doors at the hotel.  At PrairieWood I would like to learn more about making snow cones."

Enjoy some pictures of our time at the snow cone shop.  Have a great weekend...and Happy Mother's Day!

Sarah adding her flavor syrup.

Ahsia making her snow cone.

After a great picnic lunch at Swisher park.

Sale Success!

The cold and windy weather forced us inside the day of our Walking Taco Sale.  What a bummer!!  We didn't have a lot of foot traffic, but thanks to our friends from Kirkwood and beyond, we managed to make the sale a great success!  Each student showed just how much of an adult they are by stepping into their assigned roles and working above and beyond.  The maturity and appropriate social skills they showed made the sale a complete success!

To celebrate both our sale and finally a day with beautiful weather, we enjoyed a campfire lunch out at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca this afternoon.  Each student enjoyed grilling their own hotdog and s'more for lunch, exploring the beautiful scenery and nature that the camp grounds had to offer, and topped the afternoon off with a hay-rack ride with our good friend Luke.  Thank you Luke for an enjoyable afternoon and your great hospitality!!!

Our feature bloggers this week are Brian and Cassie B.  Here is what they have to say about their week at PrairieWood.

Cassie B: "This week at PrairieWood I learned about the Royal Wedding in my News2You.  I enjoyed dusting at camp.  I was challenged by not touching my hair while working the Walking Taco Sale.  At PrairieWood I would like to learn more about how to cook Jambalaya."

2011 Walking Taco Sale

2011 Walking Taco Sale

Hay-rack ride at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca

Brian: "This week at PrairieWood I learned about the royal wedding.  I enjoyed finding where the sour cream and the milk are at Hy-Vee.  I was challenged by stapling laundry bags at work.  At PrairieWood I would like to learn more about saying "Thank you" when people buy chips."

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

WALKING TACO SALE - TOMORROW

PrairieWood Students and Staff will be hosting a Walking Taco Sale tomorrow just inside Iowa Hall at Kirkwood Community College from 11am to 1pm.  Stop by to visit with the kids and enjoy lunch.  We will be selling:

Walking tacos for $2.00
Chocolate Chip Bars for $1.00
A variety of Beverages for $1.00

This sale gives PrairieWood students the opportunity to practice a variety of vocational and social skills in a community setting.  All proceeds from the days sale will go to Recreation and Leisure activities that students enjoy.

We'd love to see you there!!!

Coming to you early...

We are coming to you a little early this week thanks to a Holiday on Friday.  PrairieWood students fought through the rain and cold this week to continue with our usual activities.  Trudging to work through the rain is not as much fun as trudging to work through the sunshine.  We are hoping Spring decides to join us next week and make our activities a little more enjoyable.  Our feature bloggers this week are Andy and Sarah.  This is what they had to say about their week at PrairieWood.

Sarah: "This week at PrairieWood I learned to shop at HyVee for Pineapple.  I enjoyed cooking Pepperoni Melts.  I was challenged by sweeping.  At PrairieWood, I would like to learn more about Group Homes."

Andy: "This week at PrairieWood I learned to vacuum upstairs at work.  I enjoyed vacuuming up sawdust.  I would like to learn more about the other people I work with and cleaning windows.

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend.