Education Alumna Recognized for Peer Inclusion Program

Heidi Gomez, graduate of NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, was recognized for her Peer Inclusion Program at Chamberlain High School (Tampa) at the Excellence in Action Awards ceremony.

The Peer Inclusion Program at Chamberlain High School was implemented at the start of the 2018-2019 school year with 30 peers. The peers are 10th – 12th grade students who are assigned to Heidi for one period, and earn credit and community hours. After an interview, they are assigned a specific classroom, and work in a variety of settings supporting students with disabilities. The peers engage in each lesson, and work with students in the areas of independent functioning skills, social emotional needs, and academics. The program has also changed the school culture. Peers and their students have become friends and feel included in ways they hadn’t before the program was implemented. They sit together at lunch, attend extracurricular events, and act as mentors.

Heidi has been recognized for numerous awards in her 12 years of teaching. She’s been named Teacher of the Year at Adams Middle School, Council for Exception Children (CEC) ESE Teacher of the year for Hillsborough County, the ESE Preceptor of the Year for her work with exceptional students, and the Ida S. Baker Distinguished Educator at Chamberlain High School.

She earned both her Bachelors and Master’s degree at the Abraham S. Fischler college of Education and School of Criminal Justice.