Alanna O'Donnell, a special education teacher at PS 177Q in Queens, runs the first public school chicken coop in the district. Working with a small group of students aged 19 to 21, she employs a hybrid curriculum to foster vocational and social skills through the care of chickens. This program, which includes feeding and handling the chickens, aims to teach adaptability and empathy amidst the unique setting of an urban farm. O'Donnell, with no prior chicken-keeping experience, found inspiration to enrich her students' routines and reduce stress responses as they engage with their new responsibilities.
"When we started with this my boys did not want anything to do with them. Now they're hand feeding them, they’ll pick them up..."
"PS177Q is a self-contained special education school for students with autism, emotional and behavioral challenges... with tailored in-school programs."
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