Special Needs Students On Long Island Reunite To Form The 'Special Sweets' Cupcake Crew
WESTBURY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- On this Valentine's Day, here is a sweet story about former classmates who found a way to get back together.
As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported Monday, they're now selling baked goods with love.
Inside a Westbury home, the "Special Sweets" cupcake crew baking operation was underway in the kitchen of their former teacher, Patty Castrogiovanni.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else. I mean, really, we are a family," Castrogiovanni said.
Seven special needs students with autism and other intellectual disabilities were mixing and measuring -- unique recipes for life's skills.
"I like to work with my favorite people right here," one student said.
"This is my pink apron. Pink is a beautiful color of Valentine's Day," another student said.
"I have special cupcakes shirt and I made it myself," another added.
"Last June, they all graduated at the same time and they have been together since kindergarten and so they don't know anything but each other," parent volunteer Julie Mistretta said.
Aging out of Carle Place Public Schools, the students lost connections and were unemployed, so Castrogiovanni and retired teacher Barbara Giglio sought state approval and launched the not-for-profit enterprise.
"They've flourished so much since they've been a part of this experience," Giglio said.
"It's faith. It's blind faith," Castrogiovanni added.
For now, students call themselves interns and spread word of special sweets in the community, and it's taking off on social media and online orders.
"Not realizing the amount of support they were going to get, wonderful," Mistretta said.
"Love, I'm just so overjoyed," Castrogiovanni said.
"Cracking eggs is eggs-cellent. Get it? Eggs-cellent?" one student said.
When asked what's their favorite thing about baking, one student said, "The frosting, of course."
"We also deliver cupcakes," another student said.
The plan is to apply for grants, and move out of the house and into a commercial location, and take on more students and open a special sweets cupcake cafe.
"It will be a dream come true," Giglio said.
"Every day, it reaffirms to me that I am on the right path," Castrogiovanni added.