KSU Columbiana Students Create Sensory Boxes for East Liverpool Schools

EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio — Second-year occupational therapy assistant students from Kent State University Columbiana County created and donated sensory boxes to elementary classrooms in the East Liverpool City Schools district.

The OTA students used plastic shoe boxes to design sensory boxes that address certain skills, including sorting, matching, placing and basic assembly. The boxes will be used by students from kindergarten through fourth grade, according to a press release.

Sensory components in the boxes are designed to incorporate the basics of the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children, or TEACCH, said Kathy Swoboda, OTA program director.

“These foundational skills promote student success in the academic setting by improving fine motor coordination, sequencing, following directions and task completion,” Swoboda said.

In addition to creating the sensory box, each OTA student must provide step-by-step instructions for using them, a brief activity analysis with grading instructions to meet the student performance levels (making the task easier or more difficult), and a complete summary to educate others on the therapeutic benefits to the student using the box, according to the release.

Pictured: Showing off their sensory shoe boxes are OTA students (first row, from left) Heidi Herman, Breanna Pawlowski, Aurora Leguard; (second row, from left) Mackenzie Sturgeon, Chelsea Freshwater, Arleigha Gaudio; (third row, from left) Autumn Moninger, Khaylah Brown; and (fourth row, from left) Veronica Keenan, Matisyn Joseph. (Image: KSU Columbiana County)

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.