FRIENDSHIP — Friendship Village School, in Friendship, is one of nine additional schools to receive programming this year through The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness.

CCDA has plans to those schools as part of the organization’s ongoing mission to provide disabilities awareness and sensitivity programs to Maine students. The program, which is celebrating its sixteenth year, makes visits to nearly 900 classrooms per year and is on track to provide programming to 14,000 students this year.

Along with Friendship Village School, CCDA will be delivering programs to the following schools for the first time this year:

Bloomfield Elementary School in Skowhegan
Canaan Elementary School in Canaan
George J. Mitchell School in Waterville
Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond
Mahoney Middle School in South Portland
Mill Stream Elementary School in Norridgewock
Raymond Elementary School in Raymond
Sanford Junior High School in Sanford

Founded in 2003, The Cromwell Center facilitates a school-based disabilities awareness and inclusion program in grades 1-6 that travels to southern, central, western, and mid-coast Maine. As part of the programming, children participate in hands-on activities that highlight how people think and tackle the world differently.

Programs are designed to help build respect, reduce bullying, and help create safer and more welcoming schools and communities. 

Due to the growing demand for programming and a lack of state or federal funding, The Cromwell Center has had to create a waitlist of schools for the second year in a row. Twenty-six schools are currently on the waitlist, with approximately 5,000 children in 282 classrooms waiting to receive programming for this school year. More inquiries for programming have been coming in regularly.

ABOUT THE CROMWELL CENTER 

The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness’ mission is to promote safe, respectful, and inclusive schools and communities. The organization works to change attitudes and build understanding resulting in equal respect, support and opportunity for people with disabilities. Programs for children, parents, and teachers build sensitivity, understanding and inclusion, reduce bullying, and help create safer and more welcoming schools and communities.

For more information, visit www.cromwellcenter.org.