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Health & Fitness

Car Raffle Drives Large Turnout for Open House

Highlights of Soaring Eagle's Open House on Saturday, May 18, 2013 were a raffle for a beautiful new Ford Fusion and the presentation of a grant by the Million Dollar Round Table Foundation

The students and staff of Soaring Eagle Academy welcomed more than 200 visitors to our annual Open House on Saturday, May 18, 2013.  The sunny day was a happy celebration of our school, and the hallways and classrooms were crowded with supporters. 

School founders led tours of our school and shared insight on our unique curriculum for students with autism and related disorders.  Visitors learned first-hand how each student is taught as a whole child and how they are given the opportunity to grow socially and emotionally as well as academically. Then supporters watched as the winning raffle ticket for a brand new Ford Fusion was drawn, and a grant from the Million Dollar Round Table Foundation was presented.

When Soaring Eagle's doors opened in September 2010 with 5 students, it was the realization of a long-held dream of Speech Language pathologists Linda Cervenka, Michele Ricamato and Deanna Tyrpak.  Each had worked successfully with children and teens with autism in their private practices for many years.  They found that using strategies that were based on the Developmental Language and DIR/Floortime models were very effective with their clients, and they wanted students with autism to have the option of attending a school that utilized those same strategies.  Since no such school existed in the Chicagoland area they decided to found one - and Soaring Eagle Academy was created. 

Today Soaring Eagle's hallways are filled with the sounds of 39 students joyfully learning and communicating.  Students, who range in age from 5 years to 21 years old, are each engaged as a unique individual and taught in an individualized way that is meaningful and motivating to them. McCarthy Ford demonstrated their support of our ground-breaking curriculum and school by donating a beautiful new Ford Fusion for us to use as the grand prize in a raffle. 

The winning raffle ticket was drawn at our Open House, and all proceeds will directly benefit our non-profit school and our students. Additionally, India Ehioba of the Million Dollar Round Table Foundation graciously awarded a grant to Soaring Eagle during the Open House.  

May 18th was a joy-filled day as our students, families and staff gathered with supporters and friends to celebrate our growth and all the the amazing work taking place within our walls.              

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