Preschool Lighting Options Create Smiles
Amy has taught special needs children in an elementary school for 12 years now. She loves going in to work every day because it means she gets to make a positive difference in the lives of her students. Her students are very special to her and she always looks for ways to help them be their best selves. Amy’s work is especially close to her heart because her brother has special needs too. Amy knows firsthand how harsh lighting can affect these students. When her brother was brought into a room with harsh lighting, he would become anxious and get intense headaches. He would blink frequently and close his eyes for several seconds at a time, unable to express what was bothering him. Henry, one of her students, is a nonverbal autistic. It just so happened that one day, he started having the same reaction as her brother. He tried to form words to tell her he was uncomfortable, but he felt so anxious that the words never came. For the sake of all of her students, Amy knew she had to take action.
After searching online for what seemed like endless hours, Amy was almost ready to give up. She knew fluorescent lighting caused health issues and were especially risky for children, but it was unrealistic to ask her school to replace the lighting. But then she found Sky-Scapes® decorative fluorescent light diffusers, which replace the existing fluorescent light panels. There were cheerful and colorful designs that she thought might eliminate glare, reduce eye strain, and help her students feel more relaxed. She bought a few, just to try them out, and had them installed the next school day.
What a difference it made! When her students entered the classroom, they were in awe; they were at peace; they were smiling, and they thanked Ms. Amy for making it pretty. In fact, Henry felt so much better. He smiled and for the first time, Amy heard his voice. “Thank you, Ms. Amy!”
