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Meeting Street practices inclusion whenever possible making sure that typically developing children and children with special needs have the opportunity to learn and play together.
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Meeting Street, Providence, Rhode Island, leader , experts, early intervention, inclusion, education, therapeutic services, special-needs students, childhood development, infant, preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, physical therapy, occupational, speech, language, sensory processing disorder, sensory integration services, low vision clinic, audiology services
Meet our Community » Meet Our Kids » Ben

Ben’s Story

He Puts A Smile On Everyone’s Face

Ben, Meeting Street, Providence, Rhode Island, leader , experts, early intervention, inclusion, education, therapeutic services, special-needs students, childhood development, infant, preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, physical therapy, occupational, speech, language, sensory processing disorder, sensory integration services, low vision clinic, audiology services Ben is a student in our Bright Futures Early Learning Center who has Down Syndrome. We were first introduced to Ben and his wonderful family when he started in our Early Intervention (EI) Program. Ben still receives services at home through EI and is thriving in Bright Futures.

You can’t miss Ben at Meeting Street. He is the little boy who is running, jumping, laughing, and charming total strangers with his beautiful smile.

At Bright Futures, Ben is helped by a team of certified special educators and occupational, physical, and speech and language therapists. Here, at these early stages of his life, he is being given the best possible support.

“Ben’s therapists at Meeting Street aim for realistic expectations. They break down skills into small steps and focus on one skill at a time until Ben gets it ... and then they review, review, review so the skill will not be lost,” said Ben’s mother, Ericka Nunez, in a recent interview.

Although Ben can’t speak with words, he has begun to learn how to communicate with his peers through the use of picture cards. Andrea Furtado, one of Ben’s educators says, “Ben is a delight to have in class. We are so happy to be part of his life. He is an amazing child who has shown us through his determination that his potential is limitless.”

“The staff at Meeting Street make our family feel that there is light at the end of the tunnel even if there are a few dark spots along the way. We will never be able to thank them enough for their skill and dedication. They truly are doing amazing things with Ben and all the other children at Meeting Street with disabilities and developmental delays,” concluded Ben’s grateful mother.

Like all of the programs at Meeting Street, Bright Futures is inclusive so Ben is learning and growing with children of all abilities.
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