The Hancock Leadership Class of 2008 is proud to announce the class legacy project will be planning, funding, and constructing a multi-sensory room for Special Kids Therapy, a local 501 (C) (3) serving the developmental needs of children with special needs in Hancock County.  

Multi-sensory rooms are environments in which stimulating activities and experiences are used to increase awareness and positive behaviors for individuals with severe sensory impairment or neurological challenges. Multi-sensory rooms have been shown to enhance skills such as sensory development (hearing, sight, taste, smell, and touch) hand/eye coordination, cause and effect, language development, control over one’s environment, and relaxation.

Additionally, by helping special kids learn to deal with the world around them, it also helps typical kids to interact with them.  Half of the kids who will use the SKT multi-sensory room are mainstreamed in Hancock County schools with another quarter of them in multi-handicapped or developmentally delayed classes.  The students who will benefit from the multi-sensory room are interacting daily with typical kids and adults in schools and in the community.  Among the many developmental skills that a special needs child can learn in a multi-sensory room, the development of self-esteem is key.  Once a special needs child develops a positive sense of self, it becomes easier for him or her to interact positively with typical children.

The class projects serve as an opportunity for the class to work collaboratively on a project to benefit our community. Recent class projects have included the All Star Playground at the Cube, “Operation Serve” that completed the physical move of 18 social agencies in to the Family Center and construction of the “Welcome to Findlay” signs strategically located at the gateways to the community.

Hancock Leadership, founded in 1986, is a nine month seminar program designed to foster and promote volunteer leadership resources within our community on a planned, continuous basis. The focus is on current issues and challenges in the City of Findlay and Hancock County. Participants receive a systematic orientation to the community, as well as learning experiences to develop leadership skills. 

If you are interested in learning more about Hancock Leadership or more about the Hancock Leadership class project, please contact Julie Brown, Hancock Leadership Director, at 419.422.3313 or HCLead2@aol.com.