Students use cameras to learn, gain confidence and become independent
By: Helen Pettigrew
MONTGOMERY Nature and independence were key for six youngsters Monday as they took part in the Special Eyes on the Environment program at a park near the Princeton University boathouse between Faculty Road and Carnegie Lake.
The special-needs students from The Rock Brook School on Orchard Road were encouraged to go off on their own to photograph scenes of nature. As part of the SEE program, the students were asked not to speak to their friends or work together while taking their photographs.
"It gives them a real sense of competency," said Mary Caterson, executive director of The Rock Brook School. "It’s something else that’s self-directed."
Ross Lewis, who founded SEE in 1993 when he started his first program at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, said the program is intended to give the children a better understanding of the world around them and a heightened sense of independence.
"It defines for these children our intimate relationship with our world," he said.
Mr. Lewis works with 14 special-education schools in eight counties.
"There’s a lot of people that feel special-ed kids can’t do stuff like this, and here they are right in front of us," Mr. Lewis said gesturing to the six students dispersed throughout the park hunting for interesting photos or hunkering down to capture noteworthy sights.
By participating in the SEE program, he said, "They begin to feel they can do things totally on their own."
For their part, the students said it was all about fun and learning new things.
"I saw a river, grass, the sky, sun, clouds and a bridge. No cars at all," said Steven Sokal, 10, of Freehold, enthusiastic after polishing off two rolls of film. "I took pictures of a bridge if there’s no cars at all."
Before the picture-taking began, Mr. Lewis gave the students some instruction on how to use their cameras the point-and-shoot kind with a zoom lens and told them they had to work on their own and that they weren’t allowed to take pictures of cars or people.
For Becky Scheick, 12, of Ewing, this was a little unusual. Becky said the most interesting part of the SEE program was learning, "how to not take pictures of people."
Ms. Caterson said, "The emphasis of the program is on the environment and I think it will really give the kids an in-depth appreciation of their environment. I also think it will help their self-esteem and it will really give them a boost of self-confidence. And for many of the children, it’s a novel experience."
Jatill Dukes, 9, of Franklin, said he found walking by himself, "a little different."
But, he added, "We get to take pictures of the river."
Jatill said he also took photos of "a goose, and a moth, and the sky and the clouds."
Several small groups from The Rock Brook School will go out on SEE excursions this summer. Their photographs will be on display first in the school, and Mr. Lewis said he hopes they will be in exhibits throughout New Jersey.