Hamilton County Commissioner Larry Henry, center, decorates holiday cookies with East Lake Academy special needs sixth-grader Ethan in Courtney Rouse's classroom Monday afternoon.
East Lake Academy special needs 7th grader Grace decorates holiday cookies with Commissioner Joe Graham, right, in Courtney Rouse's class Monday afternoon.Five Hamilton County commissioners got together Monday to spread a little Christmas cheer across a batch of cookies.
Commissioner Chester Bankston donned an apron at East Lake Academy to roll and cut the dough. Once the cookies were baked, Commissioners Tim Boyd, Joe Graham, Warren Mackey and Larry Henry wielded bowls of icing and bottles of food coloring as they helped special-education students in Courtney Rouse's classroom decorate gingerbread men, stars and candy canes.
The activity tied together holiday lessons and life skills, Rouse said.
The commissioners' visit lets the student "know who in the community they need to reach if they need to advocate for themselves," Rouse said.