An exclusively inclusive club
During summer of 2021, I conducted virtual writing camps for elementary and middle schoolers, and they were a huge success. I knew that I wanted to create a camp for the summer of 2022 as a part of my continuous effort to give all students access to summer learning and enrichment.
Over the past year, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet the special education community in my school through a mural that I was painting. I connected with the teachers and their students and began to see their struggles and hard work. Though all students have been impacted by the pandemic, the special education community suffered greatly, especially due to staff shortages. This worsened the existing problems they had with funding, extracurricular resources, and teacher support. I knew I had to help, so I created a club called the Wildcat Inclusive Network. You guessed it…this club is specifically intended to create inclusive activities, such as art clubs and field trips, to promote interaction and support between the general and special education communities.
What is the Word Warriors Summer Reading Camp?
The Word Warriors Summer Reading Camp was the very first inclusive activity that I started. It was an in-person summer reading camp open to all students with special needs that was held at the Sewell Mill Library. The goal of this camp was to help these students interact with their peers while learning about how to take care of their bodies. We read books, played games, made art, and danced, and after 10 weeks, we made a handprint collage that now hangs up in our school.
I wanted to create a place where these students were accepted for who they are and encouraged to reach their full potential. I also wanted every student to get the opportunity to learn about their health and bodies in a fun and engaging way. I had 7 students from Wheeler High School participate in the Word Warriors Camp, but this is just the beginning. Over the school year, I will be organizing class parties, after school activities, field days, and field trips for these students to be a part of their entire school and for everyone to see how amazing and energetic they are. I will also be taking them to Homecoming and Prom so they can be included in the biggest experiences of high school, regardless of their disability.
Check out our Instagram page, @wildcatinclusivenetwork, to see photos from the camp and from activities throughout the year!
https://www.instagram.com/wildcatinclusivenetwork/?r=nametag
