Students create Halloween costume for child with special needs

Halloween just got a whole lot more fun for a 7-year-old boy with special needs, thanks to students in the Mechanical Contractors Association Student Chapter at Pittsburg State University.

And in turn, it got brighter for his mother, Jamie Heilman, who is thankful for their help.

"Alec had a brain injury at birth that caused him to eventually be diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and Autism," she said. "He gets most of his nutrition through a feeding tube and uses an AAC device to communicate since he cannot speak verbally."

He is mobile only through the use of a walker, which limits what kind of costume he can wear. Heilman entered a contest offered by Walkin' & Rollin' Costumes -- a nationwide network of volunteers, sponsors and donors focused on providing costumes to children with special needs -- and was matched with the Pitt State MCA Chapter.

Enter Aidan Wolownik and his classmates, who took on the task of creating an excavator costume for Alec, who loves to be outside and loves his Papa's tractors.

It took them two weeks to construct, working on their own time from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. When they delivered it to him in Wichita, they could see their work was worth it.

"What I liked most about this project was seeing the joy it brought to Alec," Wolownik said. "It was incredibly rewarding to create something that allowed him to express what he really likes. I also enjoyed the challenge of designing something unique that met his needs, and it was a great opportunity to be creative while making a positive impact."

Wolownick, a senior from Frontenac, offered a shout-out to Interior Design students who helped: Nyleigh Carbaugh, Ollie Shipley, Bailey Tuggle, and Dawson Roth.

His mom was elated.

"I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out," she said. "Alec smiles every time he sees it, which is a big deal for him because he has a very limited repertoire of things that make him excited."

Wolownik said Alec was so excited, it was hard to get him to stay still for a photo.

"All he wanted to do was drive it around his driveway!" he said.

Alec will wear it at school and for trick-or-treating.

"We are so incredibly thankful for the students' time and love put into this project," his mom said.

Learn more

The Mechanical Contractors Association Student Chapter is part of the School of Construction in Crossland College of Technology at Pittsburg State. Many students in the chapter have earned national awards and scholarships in the past few years. Their advisor is Professor Shannon Nicklaus.

The Interior Design program also is part of the School of Construction in Crossland College of Technology. Students in the program also have compted and placed nationally. Their advisor is Professor Denise Bertoncino.

Learn more: pittstate.edu/construction

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