The gym at Mercer Elementary buzzed with motion Friday morning as Timberlane Middle School students knelt beside wheelchairs, tightening straps, trimming foam edges, re-cutting PVC pipe, and adjusting steering wheels and accessories to fit each child’s needs. A princess carriage was being re-fitted so its fabric wouldn’t catch on wheels; across the room, a fire truck was stabilized while its light switch was placed within reach. Nearby, skyline panels were secured around a child’s wheelchair to complete a Superman design — its team stepping back to see his face brighten as the costume was secured into place.
This is year two of the inclusive costume collaboration between Timberlane and Mercer Elementary, part of a broader student-driven initiative called STEMpathy, which teaches engineering through human-centered problem-solving. Students began weeks ago by taking measurements, sketching prototypes, and building frames. But because each wheelchair is highly customized — with different trays, supports, switches, and safety harnesses — the final engineering had to happen in person.
“I see a kid over here who never smiles — and he hasn’t stopped since he’s been here,” said Mercer Elementary principal Tammy Lascar, watching the fittings unfold. She explained that many of her students are excluded from Halloween activities simply because conventional costumes aren’t compatible with their mobility devices. “This is a gift.”
Mercer Elementary is part of the Mercer County Special Services School District, serving students with a wide range of developmental, medical, physical, and learning needs. The school provides highly individualized instruction based on each student’s IEP, with supports that integrate academics, communication, mobility, social development, and daily living skills. Many of its students use wheelchairs or adaptive technology, which can make typical school events — including something as simple as finding a Halloween costume that fits their equipment — difficult without custom design.
The expansion from 10 costumes last fall to 16 this year — with two more underway for Timberlane students through an elective class — reflects both demand and student enthusiasm. “It was so popular that we now have three sections of the elective,” said Dr. Barbara McCarty.
For the middle schoolers, the moment of connection came when the costumes were no longer abstract designs but fitted to the children they had built them for. Seventh-grader Paloma Devolder said seeing her assigned student in person changed her understanding of the work: “All I saw was her as a picture — now I see her in person. It feels really good and important.”
Mercer Elementary teacher Karen Demeter said the impact on her students is profound. “Our overlooked population is now the highlight, and they’re the stars,” she said. “They deserve this.”
The morning also reflected how much the project has grown. “Last year was the experiment — this year is the evolution,” said Timberlane Principal Chris Turnbull, noting how the program now fills an entire gym and brings together multiple classrooms and staff members.
After fittings and safety checks, the students posed for a group photo, then paraded through the building as other classrooms lined the hallway to clap, wave, and cheer — a joyful moment of visibility for students who are not always seen.
For Timberlane teacher Helen Corveleyn, that is the heart of the work. “This is teaching. This is learning. It’s out in the community — it’s human connection,” she said, calling it “a highlight of my career.”
The recognition hasn’t been limited to the school visit. Just days earlier, the Hopewell Valley Board of Education recognized the program, where one student described realizing that STEM “was more than boring math and science — you could really do something with it and connect with people.”
Next, the costumes will be submitted to Hallowheels.org, part of a national showcase hosted by Children’s Assistive Technology Service (C.A.T.S.), which celebrates adaptive costume design for children with mobility needs. The 2025 entries will appear online soon.
STEMpathy was also recently selected for national recognition: McCarty and Corveleyn will receive the 2025 Conrad Toepfer Award for Civic Engagement of Middle Grades Students from the Association for Middle Level Education and will present the initiative in Indianapolis this November.
But inside the Mercer Elementary gym, the meaning was immediate — measured in smiles, not accolades. As the parade formed and students rolled past cheering classrooms, the costumes didn’t just make the children look like superheroes, firefighters, or royalty.
They made them feel like the subjects of the story — not the exception to it.
