PEP Clap-Out Ceremony Signals New Beginnings

On Friday, Oct. 27 all of the students and staff at PEP Chesnutt stood together in a circle jubilantly giving high fives to three of their peers who are returning to public school in their home districts. The moment was truly joyous with happy shouts and drumming filling the gym as the three “graduates” bounded around the circle. The PEP clap-out, as this ritual is known, is both a celebration of the student’s hard work and a way to cap off their PEP experience. It’s a bittersweet moment because it also means the student must say goodbye to their peers and teachers at PEP.

Malik was one of the three students being celebrated during the PEP clap out and he is excited about returning to public school at South Euclid-Lyndhurst’s Memorial Junior High School. When Malik came to PEP he says he was “ignorant of his environment.” Specifically, he says he didn’t understand how his actions and behaviors impacted other people. He also said he didn’t take responsibility for his mistakes. But now, after several years of hard work, he sees the world differently. He now knows how to take responsibility for his actions and can apologize when he has made a mistake.

PEP Clap-Out Celebrates the Good Things

His grandmother, who came to watch the clap out ceremony, says he has worked hard to get to where he is and that she is proud of him. So often, she explained, there is a focus on the negative and on what kids do wrong. She loved that the clap out and PEP’s focus on the positive. “It’s important to celebrate the good things,” she said.

When asked what stood out to him most about his time at PEP, Malik said it was the relationships he formed with teachers. “They helped me through a lot,” he said.

Malik’s transformation and return to public school is not new or surprising to the professionals at PEP. “Our goal is to help kids have access to education in the least restrictive setting possible,” explained Lauren Nash, senior director, educational services. “For some kids, like Malik, that means focusing on the social emotional skills and learning goals that will enable them to return to public school. PEP’s Day Treatment Center staff knows how important building trusting relationships is to achieving these goals.”

The clap out is a ritual that recognizes a student’s transition to a new, hopeful future. The three young people who celebrated their “graduation” on Oct. 27 have a world of opportunity awaiting them, thanks in part to the time they spent at PEP. As for Malik, like almost all teenagers, he is excited about the opportunity to make new friends. “There are a lot more kids at the school where I will be going. I’m looking forward to meeting them,” he said, smiling.

Learn More

To learn more about the PEP clap-out ceremony or other PEP programs, visit our website. Contact Nicole Molnar, clinical coordinator, at 216-361-7760 ext. 110 or via email to see if a student in your district may be a good fit.

Please note, referrals to PEP’s Day Treatment Centers are made through school districts. Interested parents or caregivers should contact their school administrator.