Special Needs Students Hope For Trip to Chicago - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |

Meghan McRoberts

OMAHA(KPTM)-

 A class of more than twenty students at Burke High School hopes to take the trip of a lifetime, but needs your help to fund it.

The "Rockstar" class is made up of students with disabilities and special needs, but is the heart of the high school.

"You can't be introduced to the Rockstars and not be changed," "Momaha" blogger Jessica Brashear described.

Brashear was a counselor at the High School and is trying to help the class take a once in a lifetime trip to Chicago.

"For so many of these students, this is the only high school class trip that they will ever take. If it wasn't for this trip they wouldn't have that opportunity," Brashear said.

The trip would take a lot of work to get more than twenty students to Chicago safely. But for Rockstar teacher Marilyn Hinkle, the work is worth it. "Just because they're in a wheel chair we don't arrange for them to go on a field trip?" Hinkle said. "This may be the one trip the students get and if this is the one, then this needs to be as good as we can make it."

While in Chicago, Hinkle and Brashear and other staff hope to take the class to a Chicago Cubs came, see museums, a nice dinner, and maybe the aquarium.

The students are equally excited just to stay in a nice hotel, or go to a nice dinner for the first time.

One student named Andy says he's not a Cubs fan, "but I am a baseball fan." Another student named Maddie said "I will want to eat at the restaurant."

But the biggest goal out there is to be advocates for other special needs students and young adults who need jobs. They hope to meat with a group called "Think Beyond the Label" that helps the disabled find jobs.

 "I'm hoping to maybe get ideas for jobs," Andy said.

Funding this trip hasn't been easy. It will cost tens of thousands to send the students, as well as physical therapists, parents, and teachers.

Organizers have cut some attractions from the itinerary, and still need nearly $6000 to book the trip by March 15. They hope to be able to add some of the attractions back if they can raise more money.

The trip is scheduled for the end of April.

To donate to Omaha Burke High School's Rockstar Account, visit omahaschoolsfoundation.org

All mailed donations should be directed to:

Omaha Schools Foundation

Rockstar Account

3215 Cumming Street

Omaha, NE 68131

Attn: Toba Cohen-Dunning