When the students returned to Cider Mill Elementary School two weeks ago, they were welcomed by a new addition: the Honeycomb Room. Located just off the main lobby, the Honeycomb Room provides a space for students to reset when they feel angry, upset or overwhelmed. Counselors and teachers can send students to this room to help them regain focus, transition from home to school, manage their emotions, or reflect.
Illeas Paschalidis, a high school student at the time, proposed the idea of creating a calming room at Cider Mill a few years ago, inspired by a similar room at Wilton High School. His suggestion came about a year after the COVID pandemic, when he and other student leaders at Trackside observed a notable change in students’ behavior: they were more restless and frustrated, which negatively impacted their ability to listen and learn.
Illeas presented this idea to the school administration. “We knew that the meditation room was ideal for a high school setting, but for elementary school kids, we needed to make the room more engaging. We wanted to create a space for kids to decompress when class became overwhelming,” he said.
School Climate Director Kim Zemo facilitated a meeting with Cider Mill’s then-Principal Jennifer Falcone, Assistant Principal Jeremy Cross, School Psychologist Adriana M. Diaz, and several school counselors, all of whom were immediately supportive of the project.
Diaz emphasized the importance of having a space for students to decompress.
“Just like adults, children experience complex emotions, but unlike adults, they are still learning how to effectively manage those feelings,” she said.
Over the next few years, Illeas was joined by fellow WHS students Emmy Baer, Thomas Fletcher, Shawn Gregory, Sayuki Layne and Maria Paschalidis. Together with administrators and members of the Cider Mill counseling team, and adult supervisor Lara Paschalidis, they collaborated to design a room that promotes a calm ambiance while providing engaging activities to prevent restlessness and anxiousness.
Lara Paschalidis praised the students for all of their hard work.
“These incredible students put in a tremendous amount of hard work and effort to bring this project to life. They met regularly with the administration and counseling department over the years and contributed to the design and creation of the room. They helped design the room through extensive pricing quality research. Additionally, they collaborated with campus supervisors and the fire marshal to ensure that all guidelines were met. Through their fundraising and grant writing efforts, they were able to secure the necessary funding to make this project a reality. They were truly the driving force behind the successful implementation of this room,” she said.
Zemo said the space has been created at a critical time.
“In recent years, we are seeing an increase in students struggling to regulate emotions and handle distress from daily life activities. This room provides a crucial sanctuary where students can learn to self-regulate, helping them to return to a state of calm and be better prepared for learning,” Zemo said, adding, “This dedicated space supports their emotional well-being and builds essential skills for managing stress and anxiety, fostering a healthier, more productive educational environment.”
Diaz added that the room aims to prioritize the development of students’ social and emotional well-being at Cider Mill. “[It] offers a dedicated space that promotes self-regulation and provides specific tools and strategies to reinforce self-control, problem-solving and effective coping skills.”
Organizers said the project would not have come to completion without the support of the school district, Cider Mill administration, campus maintenance staff, campus electrician, Cider Mill custodial staff, the Wilton Fire Marshal, and the Wilton Building Department.
The initiative was funded entirely through private sources, including a significant donation from the Cider Mill PTA. Other contributions were given by the SEPTA PTA, Wilton Kiwanis Club, Sasco River Center and various members of the Wilton community.
Cross expressed his gratitude to the high school students and Lara Paschalidis for their “time, commitment, and energy” invested in this project. “[I’m] looking forward to the year ahead and to seeing the new room support the well-being of every student.“