THE STUDENTS of P.S. 225 put on their annual musical performance titled “This is It” in the Townsend Harris High School auditorium. On April 24, 16 students worked together with a few THHS students to create the event seen by a mixture of parents, families, students, and faculty.

P.S. 255, a District 75 school located at eight different sites in Queens, teaches autistic children from Pre-Kindergarten to 11th grade. Its goal is for students to achieve maximum independence in several areas of skill.

Kenneth Henderson (known as Mr. Kenny) is a paraprofessional and has lead the students in performances like these at THHS for the past 3-4 years.

At the show’s start, Mr. Kenny gave a speech saying the show was all about “empowering their students” and “pushing their boundaries.” Thirteen students performed, with two working as ushers and one controlling the curtains.

This year’s performance included songs such as “Material Girl” by Madonna, “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, “All of Me” by John Legend, a duet of the Beatles’ “Imagine,” and a guitar solo accompanied by THHS junior Julian De La Rosa. These musical performances ranged from dancing, singing, and even lip-syncing.

“I really didn’t expect it to be so good,” remarked senior Yougeeta Singh. “I was so surprised by the dance moves.”

A video showcasing the students played between performances. The video consisted of a montage of photographs showing the students playing instruments and participating in an Aerobics class.

“I love doing it because you expect the unexpected,” stated Mr. Kenny. “Typically, this is out of [the kids’] element.”

The students started rehearsing for the show on the first day after school, and Mr. Kenny said he “already has ideas for next year.”