Inclusion For All

All of Us Club helps unite general education students and special needs students, regardless of background.

Faith Beckmann, Staff Reporter|February 20, 2020

At the winter pep assembly, both general education and special needs students perform a dance together. The dance showcased the level of inclusion that All of Us Cub strives to promote to all students.

Smiling faces crowd the room and laughter fills the air as students crowd around making crafts and having fun. Inclusion is the main goal of this meeting, allowing both general education and special needs students the chance to get to know one another and form connections. This is the primary goal of the All of Us Club. Junior Lily Duvenick elaborates on this.

“The purpose is to show [special needs students] how loved they are by other people they may not interact with from a day to day basis,” Duvenick said.

For many of its members, their interest in All of Us Club started due to a desire to get involved with the special needs community. Junior Zoey Hulbert has been involved in the club since seventh grade as a direct result of wanting to do this exact thing.

“I’ve always wanted to grow closer and become involved with the special needs community,” Hulbert said. “But [I] struggled to find an outlet until I heard about All of Us Club.”

Other students, like junior Caroline Kleine, joined because they wanted to help promote the inclusion of special needs students with the general education student body.

“I wanted to join this club because I think it is important that all students feel like a part of the school community,” Kleine said.

“

I wanted to join this club because I think it is important that all students feel like a part of the school community.

— Caroline Kleine

The most beneficial part of this club, however, is the impact it has made on its members. Hulbert comments on how she’s personally seen how All of Us Club has allowed students to flourish.

“I have watched students grow in so many ways,” Hulbert stated. “I’ve seen students grow to be more comfortable with themselves, grow socially, and form amazing and lasting friendships.”

Duvenick comments further on how All of Us Club brings people out of their shell.

“I’ve seen the impact of All of Us Club on many people by just opening them up,” Duvenick said. “I’ve seen people come to just check it out and then really get engaged with students.”

Kleine adds onto this concept by commenting on how she’s seen the club affect the special needs students directly.

“I definitely have been able to see the impact of All of Us Club through how happy the students with special needs get when we come and celebrate holidays or just play games and stuff with them,” Kleine said.

Kleine later adds how the club has benefited her.

“This club has been beneficial to me because it has made me realize how the small gestures we make can make a big impact on someone,” Kleine stated. “And how by just spending time with others, we can make them feel included.”

For the students involved, all agree All of Us Club has only impacted them in positive ways. Duvenick, for example, mentions how the club has reshaped her view point.

“I would totally recommend this club because it makes me realize how they just enjoy life with what they have,” Duvenick said. “They’re all so happy. It makes me wonder why our society dwells on small problems when we can just look at the good life has brought us.”