Staff photo / Ashley Fox Randy Ebie, principal of Boardman Center Intermediate School, demonstrates a favorite part of the school’s new sensory room. Students flock to the mirror filled with water and bubbles, and they can control the colors.

BOARDMAN — In a corner at the end of a hallway at Boardman Center Intermediate School, soft and dreamy sounds flow with star-like projections on the ceiling.

A soothing gray color on the walls with vibrant pops of color and lights decorate the room.

Sometimes, an upset young person is in there with an adult, working through an emotion; other times, a student just simply needs a few minutes to relax.

This room is the first sensory room in the Boardman Local School District. The room, from lighting to sounds to seating options, is controlled by the child. The sensory room is the result of fourth-grade school counselor Kendra Baltes, who has a passion for helping students find new ways to learn.

“I’ve always had a love and dedication for special education and social / emotional learning,” she said.

Her idea of a sensory room — a safe, quiet space — began when she was a teacher at Market Street Elementary, where she introduced flexible seating, or using large exercise balls and bean bag chairs, for her students.

They “thrived” with the non-traditional change in the classroom, Baltes said.

When Market Street Elementary closed, she moved to Boardman Center as a counselor. She approached Principal Randy Ebie about trying flexible seating, which he encouraged.

“We have a significant population of special-needs students,” Ebie said. “This is a perfect room for de-escalation and refocusing,” he said.

SPONSORSHIP

Baltes applied for a grant, which was denied. That’s when she turned to Larry Moliterno, president of Meridian Health and a township trustee.

“He was super supportive,” Baltes said.

Ideas were moving forward, but then COVID-19 happened.

After doing some work-related traveling, Moliterno saw first-hand how alternative methods, such as the flexible seating, work.

“I’ve been so impressed by (sensory rooms), and what they’re able to do for kids,” Moliterno said.

Through a $20,000 sponsorship, the room finally became a reality.

“We thought this is a wonderful opportunity for Meridian Healthcare to say, ‘We’re going to give back to the community by providing funding for this project,'” Moliterno said.

A process is also underway to establish a nonprofit within Meridian Healthcare to help other schools build sensory rooms.

RESEARCH

The room began coming together last fall, after Baltes completed research on how sensory rooms help students as well as how to get one started.

“We started putting the room together in November,” cleaning the space — an old storage unit — and painting it.

It was in February the room was about finished. In the meantime, Baltes went through “extensive” training, then she trained aides, staff and administration on how each piece in the room works.

It didn’t take long for word to spread near and far about the sensory room.

“What’s exciting is Kendra is getting other parts of the state to reach out to her,” Moliterno said.

When schools outside of the Mahoning Valley call or do virtual tours, it associates the Boardman / Youngstown area with a positive, forefront-type vibe, Moliterno said.

The positive response isn’t just from other schools. Ebie said there has been “tremendous response” from students using the room themselves.

After the pandemic was in full swing, kids’ anxiety and depression increased. “All kids are suffering right now with anxiety from the uncertainty,” Baltes said.

For her, it’s seeing the students “open up” in a safe place that makes the journey to bringing the sensory room worth the time and effort.

“It’s a really cool outlet for occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy,” Baltes said.

The room has served another purpose for students: a source of inspiration.

One of the girls who has used the room told Baltes what she wants to be when she grows up: a counselor.

“She said, ‘I want to be a counselor because you made that difference,'” Baltes said.