Four-year-old Zael Hernandez tries to create bubbles during the Exceptional Day of Play event for children with special needs hosted by Payton Belli, a student at Millikan High School, and her friend, Alexa King at Wardlow Park in Long Beach on Saturday, September 22, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
From left, Brian Connor creates a bubble for his three-year-old son Jay Connor during the Exceptional Day of Play event for children with special needs hosted by Payton Belli, a student at Millikan High School, and her friend, Alexa King at Wardlow Park in Long Beach on Saturday, September 22, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Four-year-old Kayla Holdren has her face painted during the Exceptional Day of Play event for children with special needs hosted by Payton Belli, a student at Millikan High School, and her friend, Alexa King at Wardlow Park in Long Beach on Saturday, September 22, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
From left, Nelly Grier and her four-year-old sons Atticus Grier and Charles Grier play with water beads during the Exceptional Day of Play event for children with special needs at Wardlow Park in Long Beach on Saturday, September 22, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Alexa King creates bubbles during the Exceptional Day of Play event for children with special needs at Wardlow Park in Long Beach on Saturday, September 22, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
The Exceptional Day of Play event for children with special needs hosted by seniors, Payton Belli and Alexa King at Wardlow Park in Long Beach on Saturday, September 22, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Alexa King plays with a plastic slinky during the Exceptional Day of Play event for children with special needs at Wardlow Park in Long Beach on Saturday, September 22, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Kids of all ages were having a great day at Wardlow Park Saturday – blowing bubbles, playing with sticky slime, painting faces, feeling beans and stones in bins and catching fish with magnetic hooks.
They were enjoying the sunny day, laughing and playing just like thousands of other kids at Long Beach parks, but these kids were a little different. They were kids with special needs. Kids who normally have a hard time finding an event like this one where they can have fun with arts and crafts and games.
The event was conceived by high school seniors Peyton Beeli and Alexa King, two remarkable 17-year-olds who saw a need and decided to do something about it.
“All Alexa and her little sister, Chloe, wanted was to spend a day at the park which you’d think would be simple,” Beeli, a Millikan High student, said. “However, for children with special needs, this often is a tedious task.”
Chloe has Angelman Syndrome, a complex genetic disorder that primarily affects the nervous system, causing delayed development and other issues. “We like to think of Chloe as a toddler in a 14-year-old body,” Alexa said. “We struggled to find places where Chloe could interact with others in a comfortable and safe environment. We saw a need in the community, not just for Chloe but for all kids with diverse needs.”
And so they co-founded Exceptional Play for a Day, a grass-roots organization aimed at designing a day of accessible fun for kids of all ages and abilities.
The event Saturday, which attracted more than 100 families and children, was the second one the friends have organized.
“This is a great idea,” said Wayne Evans, father of Dylan, a 12-year-old blind student in the seventh grade at Cubberley Elementary. Dylan said he was having a good time going through the various sensory bins filled with beans, stones and other materials. “I love this,” said his father, a Downey High School counselor. “Many children with special needs don’t have opportunities like this.”
Robin Weckerly, vice chair of the Community Advisory Committee that helps kids with special needs in the Long Beach Unified School District, attended the event with her son, Rex, who has autism.
“This is an amazing event, especially when you consider that it was started by young people,” Weckerly said. “They are to be congratulated for their sensitivity and understanding.” Peyton and Alexa met at The Kids Theatre Company in Bixby Knolls three years ago. Peyton had been involved with the theater group for two years when Alexa, then in the ninth grade, auditioned for a role in “Into the Woods.”
“We were blown away by her audition,” said Peyton, now associate director of TKTC. She got the lead role as the witch.”
It also was the start of a beautiful friendship.
Both Alexa and Peyton are remarkably similar in their talent and motivation to help others.
Both are members of Assisteens®, the youth auxiliary of Assistance League of Long Beach.
Peyton founded the Model United Nations Club at Millikan, and she is communications director for the Quest Ambassadors Club. Alexa is a member of the Future Leaders of America.
And while engaged in all of these activities, both also have found time to be straight-A students, Peyton at Millikan and Alexa at the online California Prep Academy.
Peyton and Alexa hope to hold more events, but they need help. Right now, their volunteers include other students like Peyton’s twin sisters, Sloane and Claire, and other friends. Money, of course, is a challenge. Each event so far has cost about $1,000.
For more information on how to make a donation and volunteer, email Alexa atexceptionaldayofplay@gmail.com.
