Miss Exceptional & Exceptional Gentleman Program
The goal of the Miss Exceptional and Exceptional Gentleman program is to build confidence in special needs children through group-centered social classes and give them social opportunities that they might not otherwise access.
Many special needs children have been victimized by bullying in their life. In fact, children with disabilities are 2 to 3 times more likely to be bullied by their peers. They are more likely to be bullied than their typically developing peers because they are different and less likely to have the skills needed to seek assistance to avoid bullying. Some children with disabilities have low self-esteem, feel depressed, lonely, or anxious because of their disability; and if they are victims of bullying it will increase these negative self-feelings.
For special needs children, the consequences and damage of bullying can cause negative mental effects while further impairing an already withdrawn child’s social skills. However, children with special needs who purposefully engage in strengthening activities reduce their isolation, social dysfunction, and stresses.
The Miss Exceptional program, now in its fourth year, is a yearlong program that provides instruction in social and communication skills to help buffer these adverse experiences. The connectedness that occurs through external relationships with a supportive, engaged community reduces the sense of isolation experienced by each program participant while increasing the positive benefits of inclusion for them. Having this program open to both girls and boys was identified as a need, and beginning in September 2018, the Exceptional Gentleman portion will be added to the Miss Exceptional program.
This program will accept new program participants in July 2018. More information to come soon!
To read about our 2017 Miss Exceptional Pageant here!
Many special needs children have been victimized by bullying in their life. In fact, children with disabilities are 2 to 3 times more likely to be bullied by their peers. They are more likely to be bullied than their typically developing peers because they are different and less likely to have the skills needed to seek assistance to avoid bullying. Some children with disabilities have low self-esteem, feel depressed, lonely, or anxious because of their disability; and if they are victims of bullying it will increase these negative self-feelings.
For special needs children, the consequences and damage of bullying can cause negative mental effects while further impairing an already withdrawn child’s social skills. However, children with special needs who purposefully engage in strengthening activities reduce their isolation, social dysfunction, and stresses.
The Miss Exceptional program, now in its fourth year, is a yearlong program that provides instruction in social and communication skills to help buffer these adverse experiences. The connectedness that occurs through external relationships with a supportive, engaged community reduces the sense of isolation experienced by each program participant while increasing the positive benefits of inclusion for them. Having this program open to both girls and boys was identified as a need, and beginning in September 2018, the Exceptional Gentleman portion will be added to the Miss Exceptional program.
This program will accept new program participants in July 2018. More information to come soon!
To read about our 2017 Miss Exceptional Pageant here!