By Carmela Drossman-Schlossberg and Linda Cheung
From Monday, March 4 to Friday, March 8, NHP’s Best Buddies club planned a variety of activities in celebration of Inclusion Week. March is best known as Best Buddies month, and the month provides an opportunity for individuals to reflect and find ways to be more inclusive to everyone.
Source by Mary Kay Mannle
Departments decorated many doors throughout the school building to highlight the importance of inclusion.
“My hope is that our message continues to resonate on a daily basis and that inclusion will just come naturally!” Best Buddies adviser Ms. Bocchino said.
Best Buddies hosted a variety of events aimed at promoting inclusion. The special education classrooms decorated their doors to symbolize inclusion, and a banner was displayed to remind students of the importance of kindness to others. Additionally, Best Buddies also posted a pledge to their Instagram for people to view that explains different ways people can and should be inclusive, such as by showing compassion and kindness to all.
"For me, Inclusion Week is about celebrating and accepting people of all abilities and backgrounds,” Best Buddies Treasurer Ariana Muhammad said. “It's about treating everyone with kindness and respect, and creating a world where everyone feels loved, valued, and included. I enjoyed taking photos in front of the "Be the I in Kind" banner with my buddies during Inclusion Week. We should strive to make everyday Inclusion Day, but sometimes a little reminder or extra emphasis on the importance of inclusion is necessary!”
Source by Mary Kay Mannle
NHP Best Buddies Secretary Georgina Giannatsis decorates the special education hallways with yellow streamers, with yellow symbolizing the color of inclusion.
Furthermore, students were given the opportunity to color in cards with the message, “I Choose to Include.” In the space below the card, students write about the importance of inclusion. Students also decorated t-shirts to wear in celebration of Inclusion Week.
“I absolutely love being a part of Best Buddies. It’s such a fun and amazing club. Last week I tried to hang out with my buddies as much as I could during lunch and just catch up with them. It’s so fun to hear about their day and just talk about anything,” sophomore Sajana Nischal said.
Ultimately, Inclusion Week was an occasion for students to reflect on the necessity of inclusion, and many participated in a variety of activities equipped to help students become kinder and more understanding individuals.