2024-25 Inclusive Programming Opportunities through Mikayla’s Voice

Posted by PA Department of Education on August 13, 2024

The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education announces inclusive programming for the 2024-2025 school year. No cost to districts – Grant funded. Mikayla’s Voice offers original programming to help build a positive and equitable school culture and ensure the well-being of your staff and students, and includes all of the following:

Two Inclusion Assemblies: 
Two school-wide inclusion assemblies are held in which the book Our Friend Mikayla is shared. One of the presenters is a student or young adult with a disability who also shares their personal story. Questions are encouraged to direct further discussion about having a friend with a disability. Each presentation concludes with an invitation for all students to serve as Mikayla’s “Voice.” High school students will be encouraged to serve as mentors to read books to the younger students and complete several enrichment lessons too.

One Inclusive Art Project: 
Participating schools choose one of the two projects in which 24 students of all abilities will work together to create a large-scale artwork to celebrate diversity and promote equity and inclusion in your school. See more details here.

Wheels of Friendship®: 
Inspired by Mikayla and her art class, Wheels of Friendship is an original art program that incorporates wheelchair painting and tissue paper decoupage, both mediums that offer success for children of all abilities. Together the group of students choose the theme for their art and decide how best to represent diversity and inclusion. See more details here.

Kaya’s Kaleidoscope:
Kaya’s Kaleidoscope is created when students complete their own individual canvases that work together in an interactive, almost puzzle-like design. Symbolic of school communities, every canvas is as essential to the mural as each student to their school. And, in keeping with Mikayla’s Voice message, mission, and style, each canvas features wheelchair tracks, tissue paper decoupage, and a yellow spot. See more details here.

Artwork Unveiling and Installation:
Once complete, all artists help unveil their collaborative artwork and share its message with the entire school community before it is permanently installed in their school as a reminder to celebrate diversity and promote equity and inclusion. See more details here.

Inclusion Books: 
Mikayla’s Voice has published four children’s books written and illustrated by kids for other kids about having a friend with a disability. See more details here.

Mikayla’s Bookshelf Enrichment Website: 
“Mikayla’s Bookshelf” includes electronic versions of all four books making it easier to share them with all classes, students, and families. The books are just the foundation upon which enrichment lessons for teachers and/or older students build to introduce and/or reinforce Mikayla’s Voice message and missions.

Participating schools are required to help with pre and post data collection to measure the global quality of the programs and the ability to improve school culture and community.

Schools interested in participating can contact: 
Rita Cheskiewicz, Executive Director, at 570-690-7113 or [email protected]
Sharon Jones, Program Director, at 484-854-1355 or [email protected]
Schools accepted on a first come, first serve basis.