COEUR d'ALENE — At the end of each school year, the Life Skills students at Fernan STEM Academy in Coeur d'Alene are treated to a carnival on campus — complete with games, bounce houses, and cotton candy.

Susie Brott, who instructs the Life Skills students, told The Press during the annual carnival on Tuesday that the event is a way to give the students a field trip experience while remaining at the school. It's a special event that often leaves her students exhausted from so much fun, Brott added.

At this year's carnival, Brott's students were joined by their friends in the fifth-grade advanced learning class. For the first time at the school, the fifth-graders have built relationships with their Life Skills peers through a buddy program.

"My kids will cry when their time is up with their buddies. Even passing in the hallways, seeing the kids say hi to each other is awesome," Brott said. "The best part about the kids is they don't really see this as anything different. So, for them, it's just actual friendships."

Fernan is the only school in the Coeur d'Alene School District with an elementary Life Skills program, and 34 students are currently enrolled. An additional 54 students at the school have individual learning plans.

"It's everything," Brott said of the program and her students' new buddies. "I am lucky enough to teach the best class in the whole district. To be able to share that with other students is so cool. This is everything."

Pam Kiefer, who has taught the fifth-graders for three years, wanted her students to learn empathy, so she pursued and obtained a grant through The Excel Foundation that provided books, Chromebooks and supplies used during a year-long disability awareness unit.

"They truly are friends," Kiefer said as she watched her students interact with their buddies. "I think that's what, through the curriculum and simulations combined with getting to know them, it's naturally transitioned to."

When Brott approached Kiefer's class about their buddies lacking accessibility to the playground, the students immediately said they would do something about it and the "Playground for All Project" was launched. As of Tuesday afternoon, $25,560 has been donated toward the project.

"This has been a dream of mine for more than four years," Brott said. "To see these kids make it happen is just unbelievable to me. It's the true spirit of family, friendship, and community."

The funds, according to Kiefer, will bring phase one of the project — an asphalt, wheelchair-accessible pathway that accommodates two wheelchairs — to life during the summer months. Kiefer added that it has been amazing and "almost overwhelming" to see the outpouring of support from the community for the project.

"We made a difference, we made a mark on the school," said Aurora Eipoly.

Although school is winding down for the year, Kiefer said her class plans on continuing to use its professional presentation to garner more financial support. The additional fundraising will hopefully bring phase two of the project — an open building that will serve as an interactive mini-theater — to life as well and Kiefer estimated the total cost of both phases of the project is $60,000.

She added she also wants her students to be able to witness the construction work on the playground.

"They've been doing this for three years," Kiefer said of her students' eagerness to positively impact the world around them. "But this one was huge, it's bigger than them."

The fifth-graders were a bit overwhelmed themselves by the huge show of support from the community, Kiefer said, and plan on sending handwritten thank-you letters to individuals and businesses that donated. Each of the donors, she added, will also receive a phone call from the students inviting them to the ribbon cutting ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on the first day of school in the fall.

"I'm happy that we're doing something for other kids so they can have a better experience at school," said Daisy Birmingham. "I'm really excited for the ribbon cutting because it'll be officially open for everyone to visit and use."