Mamaroneck High School’s Transition Academy (TA) educates students of diverse needs.

MHS senior Emily Maffei (’24) sought to address the lack of social opportunities given to those enrolled in the Transition Academy in comparison to the majority of MHS students. Drawing inspiration from the Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio, which features young autistic individuals who attend a spring formal in efforts to improve their social skills alongside having a memorable experience, Maffei, as well as Izzy Nesser (’24) and Transition Academy teacher Danielle Kubichko brought a ‘Transition Academy Prom’ to MHS on May 3rd.

Maffei explains that prom can be an “overwhelming and stressful” experience for many young people, and that Mamaroneck High School’s grand prom may not be every student’s forte. However, prom is a valued highschool event, and Maffei and Nesser believe all students here at Mamaroneck High School deserve the opportunity to partake in it to some extent.

With the support of Transition Academy teachers and aides, members of the Be a Friend Club, and other high school volunteers, over 20 Transition Academy students got to experience the “Growing Together” prom. Kubichko spoke to this event stating that“Growing Together served to symbolize a close of a successful year” while also allowing Transition Academy students to practice their “ever improving social skills in an environment that is sensitive to their unique needs.” The event consisted of music, dancing, food and quality time with friends.

Cooper Berenblat (’24) served as the event’s DJ while Lorenzo Bertini (’25) was the event’s dedicated photographer. Joe Robb O’Hagan (’24) explains the event was “exciting, safe, and made all attendees feel valued.” He recalls every individual in the room had a smile ear to ear.

The Growing Together event exuded positivity and inclusivity and left everyone who attended moved by how important this event was to the Mamaroneck High School community. Robb O’Hagan remains in awe of the team behind Growing Together. He explains Maffei has worked to “be a voice for so many students at MHS who are struggling to belong.” Maffei corroborates this, describing how the goal behind this event was to not only provide an unforgettable experience for TA students, but also to create a sense of unity throughout the school.

While Maffei is graduating this spring, she hopes the school community will work to be more accepting of these students and help further include them in school activities. Current steps towards a more inclusive MHS involve the establishment of a Unified Basketball Team in the past few years which allows TA students to participate in a section-wide basketball league alongside the broader MHS community. In the future, Kubicho mentions the possibility of implementing a unified physical education class that could serve a similar purpose.

In the meantime, it is crucial to promote the inclusion of all students here at Mamaroneck High School. MHS students can make efforts to invite students to join the Be a Friend Club or the Best Buddies program.