05/29/2026
Thursday at SPARC ~ Reston, creativity was in the air from the very first moment. The group dove into building their own xylophones out of popsicle sticks, each one fitted with tiny bells that added a sweet, jingling charm to every note. David rose to the occasion beautifully, working through multi-step instructions with a growing sense of independence that was genuinely exciting to witness. Once the instruments were finished, the real fun began as everyone shook and tapped along to the music playing in the room, finding their rhythm and clearly loving every second of it. David, a true music enthusiast at heart, lit up in a way that reminded everyone why this community is so special.
From there, the group explored a stone painting activity where rocks got dipped in paint, shaken in a bag, and revealed the most wonderfully unique abstract designs on the paper inside. The group also put the finishing touches on the beautiful pots they had painted earlier in the week, sealing them so the art will hold up for years to come.
And to wrap up an already full and joyful day, the first real sunshine in over a week called everyone outside for a walk together. It turned into one of those quiet, golden moments. David was eager to keep exploring, Taku and his DSP Tika spotted berries along the way and stopped to pick them, and the whole group seemed to breathe a little deeper out in the warm air.
