Joining a Club
Social clubs are an excellent way to get young people with Asperger's, high-functioning autism, and learning disabilities involved in social activities they enjoy in a hands-on learning environment. The students at Talisman Academy participate in clubs one hour per week, organized into groups of seven or eight boys and girls of varying ages and backgrounds.
Our club program gives students the opportunity to express themselves, explore their special talents and interests, and apply the life skills they've learned at school. As they present their work to staff, fellow students, and their families, students take pride in their accomplishments and are encouraged to take a few risks socially, without worrying about grades, job performance, or other pressures.
The following is a sampling of the clubs offered at Talisman Academy:
Yearbook Club. Members of the yearbook club plan, organize, and design the school's yearbook each semester. Student activities range from taking photographs around campus and on off-campus trips to seeking advertisements from local organizations in the community. In past years, the students have created a DVD yearbook, made up of a slideshow of photographs of each student and staff member as well as shots of the memorable activities that occurred throughout the semester. This club also hosts contests that allow students to design their own yearbook cover, complete with a quotation, title, and drawing, with one lucky winner receiving his picture on the cover. Yearbook club is a great way to memorialize theTalisman Academy experience and learn photography, writing, and organizational skills that can be used in life beyond Talisman Academy.
Wilderness Club. Wilderness club is designed for students with an affinity for the great outdoors. In addition to the week-long experiential learning trips and wilderness adventures that all Talisman Academy students enjoy, students in wilderness club spend an extra hour each week learning how to live in nature. Beginning with a variety of educational sessions on safety skills, cooking over a campfire, staying warm and dry, and other primitive skills, students then participate in explorations in the field, play games, and get to know other students who are passionate about the wilderness. Through the wilderness club experience, students are even more prepared and excited to participate in the school's off-campus trips.
Cooking/Gardening Club. This club gives students an opportunity to learn about healthy living through hands-on experience in the garden and in the kitchen. From table manners, safety skills, and food handling and preparation to the basics of operating a dishwasher and setting the table, students in cooking/gardening club learn their way around the kitchen, with direction and oversight from the school's kitchen manager. During the warmer months, students help grow their own herb and vegetable garden, participating in soil cultivation, weeding, and harvesting crops which can be used in preparing meals for the entire student body.