There are a wide variety of clubs for high school and middle school students reflecting interests in everything from chess to anime and running to community service.
What there wasn’t, until last semester, was a club specifically designed for those with developmental disabilities, where they can feel they fit in and feel accepted.
“They can join other clubs, but for some of them it’s very difficult,” said Special Education teacher Nichole Helton.
Nichole Helton, along with Robie Martin at Parsons High School, and Shannon Millar at Parsons Middle School, sought to change that by creating an inclusion club for both schools, made up of students with and without disabilities.
The students without disabilities know what the club is about before joining, and they are asked to fill out a form to explain why they want to join.
“Some of them have family members who have disabilities. Some of them like being helpful. Some come by my room every day to see my kids,” Helton said. “We do activities to kind of team build. We’ve only met a few times so far. At the high school, we just met and did introductions and talked (before winter break). Second meeting we did a game of “Would You Rather?” Would You Rather is a game where you answer a question, like, ‘Would you rather be Buddy the Elf or Scrooge?’ and they explain why they made the choices they did. Usually, it is stuff they would never want to do, so they have to make that impossible choice.”
At the middle school the club members got together and did a paint and sip. Helton drew pictures on canvases and then everyone got to paint. In coming weeks, they will be playing more games and doing more activities to build bonds between the members.
“We do things to help foster friendships and develop social skills,” Helton said. “Then, for the Unified Special Olympics Events the partners will get to go with us to compete.”
For example, the club members will together attend the Special Olympics track and field events in Erie this Spring, and the Unified Cornhole tournament in Girard.
Helton said they have had a good response to those interested in joining the club. At the middle school there are about 9 and high school 10 or 12, which is about as many as they can have, so when it comes to unified sporting events, there aren’t people getting left out.
“It’s going really well. We have a good group of kids at both schools, and they are interacting well,” Helton said. “We are also going to do some more pairing and practicing before the cornhole tournament.”
Students are required to be passing all their classes before they can participate in the Special Olympics.
Millar is pleased the club is going well. To Helton’s comments she added: “I think this club is going to make a positive difference and create an inclusive environment in our school. All club members will be able to grow socially and emotionally as they build friendships, learn to understand the diversity among us, and create empathy for each other. I am excited to see the friendships that evolve and the fun that we'll have.”