It was a Friday night in April, and a group of Worcester Public Schools (WPS) Transition Program students were starting to arrive on campus, just like they had every week over the last academic year. Except this time, there was a red carpet.
Sporting their finest formal wear, fresh haircuts and their favorite accessories, students from the WPS Transition Program, which prepares students with intellectual disabilities ages 18-22 years old for their lives ahead, were about to attend what, for many of them, would be their first-ever school dance — the Night to Shine Gala.
The red carpet led into a transformed Hogan Campus Center ballroom, thanks to the hard work, planning and decorating talents of the WPS students and Holy Cross interns with the Donelan Office of Community-Based Learning, Teaching, and Engaged Scholarship.
Every Monday and Thursday during the 2024-2025 academic year, Community-Based Learning (CBL) interns welcomed two groups of roughly 10 young adult students from the Transition Program to campus, learning from one another and building friendships over shared meals and structured activities.
After realizing many of the WPS students had never attended a school dance, the CBL interns came up with the idea to host a prom-style gala, open to all 75-plus students in the WPS Transition Program. The event had never been staged by the interns before. But after weeks of planning, newfound friends were ready to hit the dance floor together at the inaugural Night to Shine Gala, an event each intern noted was one of — if not the — highlight of their years on Mount St. James.
SHANE FITZPATRICK ’25, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MAJOR
CBL has completely changed my view on what service can look like. We’re not going into the community to ‘fix’ a problem; we’re learning from each other, and our partnership with the WPS Transition Program is the perfect example of that.
What was one of your favorite activities? I’m big into yoga, so I enjoyed leading adaptive yoga sessions. People don’t always consider that these young adults would also benefit from the same sorts of mindfulness and meditation that are so often encouraged for others. I also loved bringing in my guitar and singing with the students. My favorite was singing Christmas carols around the holidays.
How has this experience changed you? I’ve learned so much about communication and what it means to be a friend, as well as how to check my own biases and be even more conscious of accessibility. And the WPS teachers are amazing — they have been a big part of my experience. After graduation, I will be looking to go into the environmental nonprofit sector, and the CBL internship has modeled for me the traits I want to seek out in a community in the future.
How was the Night to Shine Gala? I’ve had so many amazing experiences with CBL, but nothing tops that night. It was pure, unbridled joy. Teachers who have worked in the Worcester Public Schools for 15 years said it was the highlight of their careers. We made it sensory-friendly. The music wasn’t too loud, and we had a quiet room with fidget toys and coloring. Beforehand, I put together a social story, a slideshow with pictures that previewed what to expect. It was such a judgment-free space. It was one of the most amazing events I’ve been to in my four years at Holy Cross.
LUKE LETIZIA ’25, CHEMISTRY MAJOR
I jumped at the opportunity to welcome these students onto our campus. The students are between the ages of 18 and 22, which is a similar age group to all of us at Holy Cross. Being able to share that relationship and our experiences on campus with them is truly special and something so unique to the CBL program.
What was one of your favorite activities? I helped design a mock interview and career-oriented resume-building class. We worked with each student to think about previous job experience and what they like about themselves and would want to showcase in an interview setting. The students are so creative and really enjoy doing activities independently.
How has this experience changed you? I’m taking a gap year and will be working with students or people with disabilities, and then I will be applying to medical school for pediatric oncology. This experience has given me so much insight into working with people from all backgrounds, as well as the importance of advocacy, which will go hand in hand with being a health care provider.
How was the Night to Shine Gala? We had such a phenomenal time. It was so special meeting all the other students in the WPS Transition Program, and having our students introduce us to their friends from school and home. We were dancing like fools. We worked with the students beforehand to make a playlist with a wide variety of songs and created tissue paper flowers that became the centerpieces of all the tables and lined the red carpet. That night was by far the best experience and most amazing day I’ve had at Holy Cross in my four years.
CATE PFAU ’25, POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR, EDUCATION MINOR
Having the transition program be part of my Monday morning routine was my favorite part of the week. I feel grateful we were able to get so close with the WPS teachers, Holy Cross CBL volunteers and the young adults. I built such close relationships and connections.
What was one of your favorite activities? This semester, I took a CBL course Seeking Justice and incorporated the WPS Transition Program into my semester-long project. I focused on advocacy and how federal funding is in danger for a lot of people in the program. We wrote letters to U.S. Representative Jim McGovern’s office in Worcester. We learned how to write and stamp a letter, as well as the importance of making your voice heard.
How has this experience changed you? Being a CBL intern helped me shift the way that I think about inclusion and education. I have deepened my understanding of what it means to be present with others, and especially with populations of people who are often overlooked or underestimated. After graduation, I will be living in the Czech Republic while teaching English through a Fulbright grant. I will take all that I’ve learned with me for the rest of my life.
How was the Night to Shine Gala? It is hard to put into words how amazing it was. This gala was built out of our love and passion for the Transition Program and the friendships and relationships that we've been able to build. We had each young adult enter on a red carpet. They were able to be in the spotlight while everyone was cheering. At the end of the night, we were calling it the first annual gala because we definitely want it to happen again. It was a highlight of my whole college career.
RACHEL DEROCCO ’25, NEUROSCIENCE MAJOR
CBL has such a great mission focused on mutually beneficial relationships. I believe that the disability community is very much underrepresented, and there are not enough wonderful programs to support them — however, the WPS Transition Program does exactly that. I felt really drawn to it. I took it as an opportunity to connect with people my own age and see how they understand the world around us.
What was one of your favorite activities? I enjoyed hosting baking days, and we also did a lot of arts and crafts, coloring and sketching. The CBL interns applied for grant funding from the Holy Cross Marshall Memorial Fund, which covered so many of our supplies for our activities.
How has this experience changed you? Interacting with the WPS students opened up a whole new world to me and made me realize there's no difference between ‘you’ and ‘I’ … it is just ‘us.’ After I graduate, I will be working at a doctor's office and in the emergency room at Mount Auburn Hospital. I’m hoping to go to physician assistant (PA) school in the future. I’ve always known that I wanted to go into health care, but now I’m leaning toward health care for those with disabilities and intellectual disabilities. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and I would like to be one of the people who can help address it.
How was the Night to Shine Gala? It was incredible. Everyone got to have their special moment walking across the red carpet while we all clapped for them. Their confidence showed throughout the room. It brought tears to your eyes. Some of my Holy Cross friends came to meet the students — everyone got along, and we were all dancing to the music for three hours straight. I’ve never seen such joy on people’s faces.
‘WHEN COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER WITH LOVE AND PURPOSE’
Kimberly Samia, a WPS transition rehab specialist who has worked in WPS special education for 32 years, called the event “one of the most unforgettable moments” of this year. WPS Transition staff did hair and makeup for the participants before the event, and a local barber — also a WPS staff member — offered free haircuts. “It was more than just a celebration; it was a powerful reminder of the beauty that happens when communities come together with love and purpose,” she said.
“A huge part of this program is treating the [WPS Transition Program] young adults with the respect and dignity that they deserve and integrating them into campus — that looks really different than just inviting the group to campus,” said Kathryn Hauver ’22, assistant director of the Donelan Office. “Community-based learning is rooted in getting to know your community. When we’re engaging with the community, we’re thinking about it through mutuality and reciprocity and uplifting the community’s strengths.”
Samia noted, “The partnership between the WPS Transition Program and Holy Cross CBL has been transformative, creating a space where inclusion, friendship and joy flourish. The young adults in the Transition Program have not only built genuine connections with Holy Cross students but have also found a welcoming community that embraces them fully. Through shared experiences on campus, their confidence and social skills have blossomed.”
