By CASEY NEILL
EMERSON students are acing their studies while leading the way.
The Dandenong school this year started a Vocational Education and Training (VET) sport and recreation class.
Sport teacher Kevin Van Twest said it was the first time a specialist school had offered the course.
“It gives them a recognised certificate that can lead to employment at a gym or at a local sporting club,” he said.
“It’s really important that they get that sort of grounding at school.”
Fault-less Tennis Coaching in Hallam is donating court time for practical studies, and gave the school $500 for sports shirts.
“$30 from mum and dad for a shirt is really hard to come by,” he said.
“They let us use their courts and they ran coaching sessions for us.”
Emerson School caters for students with mild intellectual processing difficulties.
It started with less than 100 students in 1973 and today has more than 100 staff and 400 students.