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i starrizew prom

A night to cherish — for students of all abilities.

Stacy Gittleman

I

Contributing Writer

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This acceptance in part came from a
course called LINK offered in several area
high schools. Also known as Peer-to-Peer
Support, LINK is a course where general
education students assist students with
learning disabilities in classroom and
social settings.
The course's goals include improving
social, independence and/or academic
skills for students with disabilities as well
as helping students in the general popula-
tion develop an understanding of individu-
als with disabilities. Students who enroll in
the course may eventually pursue careers
in social work, teaching or psychology.
For about three years now, through
LINK, WBHS seniors with special needs
have been transported to the prom in
their own limousine bus, thanks to a
generous anonymous donor in the Jewish
community.
Spencer's prom date was Dalia
Rubenstein, 16, a WBHS junior who took
the LINK course this spring semester.
Volunteering with those with special
developmental needs comes naturally for
her. Ever since she could remember, she
has accompanied her mother, Shoshana
Rubenstein, ACSW, to help out at JARC
events for adults.
Through LINK, Dalia gained experience
with learning how to more patiently inter-
act with teens on the autism spectrum and
not to "rush to judgment" when conversa-
tions do not go exactly as planned. For
example, sarcasm does not go over very
well to those with very literal minds.
"You have to watch what you say, espe-
cially if you want to joke around:' Dalia
said. "Sarcasm doesn't work so you have to
say exactly what you mean:'
Though their families had been friends
for many years, Dalia became better
acquainted with Spencer through LINK.
"People dream about going to the prom
because it is the highlight of high school:
Dalia said. "So, when he asked me, I said,
`Of course, I would love to go with you!'
Since then, he hasn't stopped smiling and
talking about the prom:'
After Spencer asked Dalia, she asked a
few of her friends — some were part of
LINK, others were not — if they would
like to go to prom with other kids with
special needs. Altogether, six couples

8 June 11 • 2015

Six couples show their prom spirit before heading off to the Detroit Yacht Club on Belle Isle for the big dance.

dressed up and met in the school
parking lot to have their parents
kvell over them and take their pho-
tographs before they boarded the
limo bus to prom.
Even though he prefers wearing
shorts and a T-shirt most of the
time, Spencer sported dressy attire
for the occasion. He said Dalia
looked "great" in her navy blue
prom dress. He gave her a white
corsage. At his request, Dalia gave
Spencer two picture frames: one to
hold a picture of them at the prom
Harry Cohn adjusts his son's tie before he heads off to
Dalia Rubenstein and Spencer
and one saved for a graduation
the WBHS prom.
Cohn
photo.
"It was pretty fancy at the yacht
Schiffer said that these couples going to
ent at the prom just like any other adult
chaperone, hanging in the background and
club, and I loved the music:' Spencer said
prom together is proof positive of how
the day after prom. "I wanted to go to
LINK bridges the gap between students of
watching the kids having fun.
prom because I knew it was going to be
all abilities.
"I was overjoyed to see them all having
a great memory to have forever from my
In the end, Schiffer knew her students
a wonderful time Schiffer said. "After a
senior year of high school:'
with special needs were in good hands
while, you really couldn't tell which of the
Accompanying them on the limo bus
with their LINK buddies at the prom. She
kids had special needs and which didn't. It
was Janis Schiffer, a school social worker
didn't need to be with them at all times
is just what one would expect from prom
and a coordinator of the LINK program.
night:'
to be their "friend:' Instead, she was pres-

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