Baltimore Ravens deliver sensory-friendly toys to special needs students in South Baltimore
BALTIMORE – Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike carried boxes of sensory-friendly toys and devices into Westport Academy Elementary/Middle School on Tuesday.
"We got lots of toys today, lots of devices today that can help the children with each of their specific sensory needs," Westport Academy's Individualized Education Program chair Katie Hauser said.
The non-profit organization Pathfinders for Autism partnered with Madubuike and Landon's Puzzle Pieces to collect donated sensory toys and devices for Westport's special education program, which makes up one-third of their student body, according to Hauser.
Sensory items can help children on the autism spectrum with physical and neurological development.
"At the end of the day, every child deserves an education," Pathfinders for Autism Executive Director Rebecca Rienzi said."If they learn differently that should not be a barrier to their education."
The donations included things like play dough, sand, stuffed animals, noise-canceling headphones and weighted blankets.
"If they can create calming and focusing and or help with fine motor skills, all of that helps them access the curriculum," Rienzi said.
Westport Academy principal, Melody Locke, said students looked forward to the visit all week. They were excited to meet a Ravens player and they each gave Madubuike hand-written notes.
"They also created a thank you banner with their thumbprints to just say how much we appreciate him and how much we appreciate the donation," Locke said.
Madubuike said it meant a lot to him to help the kids overcome challenges in the classroom.
"No matter what their dreams are, whatever they want to do in life, there's nothing that's stopping them or holding them back from doing that," Madubuike said.
Pathfinders for Autism and Landon's Puzzle Pieces spent all of December collecting toys from donors locally and nationwide.