Teacher Testimonials

The most magical testament to the program’s success was its breakthrough with my non-verbal student.

"The CEI Meridian Program has had a truly amazing impact on my students, fostering an environment where creativity and emotional expression truly thrive. Through hands-on initiatives like the Flower Patch project and the Flower Ensemble project, students were able to connect with nature, art, and each other in ways while also integrating core subjects. These collaborative

projects didn’t just teach them about the life cycle of plants, they provided a tactile, sensory-rich experience that leveled the playing field for students of all abilities, building immense confidence and a deep sense of shared community.

The most magical testament to the program’s success was its breakthrough with my non-verbalstudent. During the Flower Ensemble project, the inclusive and rhythmic nature of the music unlocked something extraordinary, allowing them to communicate and connect deeply through singing. Witnessing a student who typically struggles to find their voice step into the spotlight and express themselves so beautifully was a deeply moving experience. The CEI Meridian Program has proven to be far more than just an arts curriculum—it has been a vital bridge to communication, agency, and joy for my students. Since the end of the program we have continued to utilize the materials from the project in other ways in order to foster more language

and communication within our classroom. We are forever grateful to the CEI program."

Danielle Terribile
New York City School District 75

Student engagement was at an all-time high during every lesson. 

"I absolutely loved CEI’s Meridian project, and so did my students. My students absorbed and retained so much knowledge about the butterfly life cycle, including complex vocabulary words like 'metamorphosis.'  Student engagement was at an all-time high during every lesson. They looked forward to the lessons and counted down the days until our big performance! I compiled all the pictures and videos from the project and created a video slideshow. The kids were so excited and proud to see their hard work and performance in the video, and my administrators were very proud of our students as well. I posted the video on the school's social media page and got really sweet feedback from parents."

Regan Beem
Bridgeport Public Schools

 I have a non-verbal student who I discovered is very talented and enjoys painting. Painting keeps him focused.  

My students and I loved CEI's Meridian project. I have some students who said they love to paint and even developed skills they didn't have before. I have a non-verbal student who I discovered is very talented and enjoys painting. Painting keeps him focused. Also, I did not know how to integrate music into our Spanish class, it was something that I did not see as possible and today I was able to understand that it is possible.

Laury Tavarez
San Juan Educational Region

I feel that I should be incorporating songwriting in our future lessons.

"I can already see students who are interested in CEI's Meridian songwriting activity. I feel that I should be incorporating songwriting in our future lessons to capture the interests of our students. Thank you for initiating this project!"

Cecilia Real
Baltimore City Public Schools