West View's Special Education class has been involved in several interesting projects during the past few years. The most exciting of these projects involves their participation in a national contest, the Newman's Own and Good Housekeeping Recipe Contest. In 1992, students, with assistance from their teacher and full-time aide, created an original recipe, "Bagelroonies," using Newman's Own Sockarooni Pasta Sauce. Their recipe was chosen as one of seven national winners. As a result they won $10,000 to be donated to the charity of their choice (Area 10 Special Olympics). The teacher, teacher assistant, and two students also traveled to New York City to have lunch with Paul Newman in the Rainbow Room. They were also given $1,000 spending money. Because this contest is open to any former winners, the students have entered each year in the Goodwill Ambassadors Category. Their winnings from 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996 total $13,750. This money has been donated to the ARC (Association for Retarded Citizens) of Hamblen County, Tennessee Special Olympics Athletes for Art, and West View Middle School. The teacher and teacher assistant won two additional trips to New York and enjoyed meeting celebrities including Regis and Kathie Lee and Harry Smith of CBS This Morning. A portion of their winnings was used to construct a physical fitness/recreation area at West View in 2001.
Students have also been involved in the Tennessee Special Olympics Athletes for Art Contest. Three students had artwork chosen from entries all over the state of Tennessee. The artwork was designed as a full-size poster, of which 1,000 were distributed statewide. The winning students traveled with their teacher and teacher assistant to Nashville to accept their award, meeting former governor Ned Ray McWherter at the Capitol building. Students also enjoyed a dinner/cruise on the General Jackson Steamboat and a visit to Opryland.
These students have also entered original poetry in the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans (published yearly). In 1992 and 1996, eleven students had their poems published.
West View's CDC students are also very "crafty." With help, they have designed four quilts. One received a $100 prize in the Dollywood Annual Quilt Contest in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Another hangs in the Newman's Own Offices, and two are displayed in their classroom at West View.
West View Middle School Special Education students continue to prove that dreams can come true with imagination and lots of hard work!
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