Shoreham-Wading River School District’s Play Pals encourages inclusion and awareness of students with a variety of educational needs. Co-advisers special education teacher Jennifer Simicich and third grade teacher Nicole Virdone create a positive environment with the students, and before the holiday break the club created gingerbread houses in Wading River School.

Made from tissue boxes, the students decorated the panels of the houses with pompoms, cotton balls, craft sticks, glitter, buttons and other craft items to create their own gingerbread house. They added tissues that popped out of each house to serve as “smoke” coming from the chimney. Each pal team created their own house and either took them home or added it to “Play Pal Ville” that was set up in the main hallway of the school.

“We listened to holiday music while we worked,” Ms. Simicich said. “The children had a great time working together and sharing their ideas about their houses.”