A Day With Jena and Wonderwood

On the last day of their semester, I headed down to spend the day with Jena and Megan with Vicki, the director of Wonderwood. (Emily chose to go to a mission Christmas activity as she is currently also serving a Church Service mission.) I just followed them around for the day and then drove Vicki home and Jena to her dress rehearsal for her Friend to Friend performance.

We walked on campus and within five minutes two students greeted Jena by name and they exchanged hugs with her.  Both of them were volunteers with Best Buddies or Wonderwood and friends.  One joined us for a few minutes because Jena was going to do a little piano recital.  Jena has been taking piano lessons once a week in Provo with Taylor.  Jena couldn't attend their recital that he had set up because she had to be at Centerpoint for her dress rehearsal, so he made special arrangements for a room with a piano in the Wilkerson Center and we had our own recital.

On the way through downtown Provo to her apartment

I remember these mountains as they framed my college life at BYU as well.

 Jena and Megan with two of their roommates--Myan and Esther and me of course.

A view out of the Wilkerson Center--

A friend we picked up along the way who came to the piano recital...

Jena played a part of Silent Night.

Taylor, her volunteer teacher, played the "Carol of the Bells."

Our piano players---

We then headed to the library where we had a room to study on the Humanities lesson about music.   

After Humanities, we headed to the Knight Building for Math lab--another group of students who volunteer their time to prepare math studies for the three girls.  We sat in the back while the students worked away on their problems. 

Notice how they have designed practical problems using the students's names for interest.

 We then sang a few Christmas songs and said goodbye for the year.

We then headed home, packed up for the semester, and left a sweet treat for the roommates who still had finals ahead for them.  It was so great to spend the day at BYU with Jena and watch her and her friends walk confidently around the campus.  Vicki told me that on devotional days, they have a spot in the library where they will meet their peers to walk over to the devotionals together.  Vicki said sometimes there are 20 or more students in the group who want to share devotionals with Jena, Megan and Emily.  That is the beauty of a college campus for young adults with disabilities--it allows them to share some of the daily lives of other young adults.

Thanks to Wonderwood for a great day (and a great few years for Jena).  It was perfect.