Sarasota Military Academy’s Interact Club, a service club for cadets at the Prep middle school campus, recently completed a project in partnership with the Rotary Club and Easterseals Southwest Florida to help local children who have sensory processing disorders (SPD).
SMA Prep Interact Club projects are determined through student interest, community needs or through partnerships with local organizations. During the 2018 – 2019 school year, an SMA cadet approached the Interact Club board with a plan to create sensory bottles for individuals in the community with SPD. After learning more about SPD and finalizing the project, 70 sensory bottles were donated to Easterseals Southwest Florida, a local, non-profit organization that aims to provide services for persons with disabilities and their families.
“We are incredibly proud of our cadets and those involved in the SMA Prep Interact Club,” said SMA-MAJ Carol Pelletier, Sarasota Military Academy Prep Language and Literature Instructor, Department Chair and Interact Club Facilitator. “Through this project, the cadets met with individuals who have sensory processing disorders, learned about SPD and found a creative way to have a positive impact in their community.”
Led by SMA-CPT Jennifer Neff, SMA-MAJ Carol Pelletier and SMA-CPT Jane Clancy, the SMA Prep Interact Club is an extracurricular activity supported by the Sarasota Southside Rotary Club. The sensory bottle project materials were funded by the Interact Club and the supporting Rotary Club. Previous SMA Interact Club projects include making puppy collars for Southeastern Guide Dogs, gift boxes for troops overseas, the recent Water for Sudan project where students raised funds to build a well in South Sudan, and Happier Homes for Haiti. The SMA Prep Interact Club chapter was also recently awarded the Zone34 Interact Award through the Rotary Club partnership.
About Easterseals of Southwest Florida
Easterseals Southwest Florida has been serving children, adults and families with disabilities since 1946 helping individuals and their families become as independent as possible. Our services include pre-school through high school, employment, adult life skills, family support services and through partnership neurofeedback and horse therapy. Easterseals, 350 Braden Ave., Sarasota. Contact us at (941) 355-7637 or at https://easterseals-swfl.org/.
About Sarasota Military Academy
Founded in 2002, Sarasota Military Academy (SMA) is a public charter school, college preparatory academy and an accredited IB Diploma and Middle Years Programme (MYP) School with two campuses located in Sarasota, Florida. Combining extraordinary academics with the highest military principles of camaraderie, focus, leadership, integrity, compassion, poise, honor and respect, SMA’s mission is to graduate young men and women who will confidently define their personal and unique goals for success in a multi-cultural and globalized world. Sarasota Military Academy High School is located at 801 N. Orange Avenue and Sarasota Military Academy Prep Middle School, is located at 3101 Bethel Lane. To learn more about SMA, visit http://www.sarasotamilitaryacademy.org/.