In a diverse population promoting awareness, acceptance and knowledge is very important. TRUST Club is one of the clubs helping to ensure students of all abilities are included and respected as an important part of our community.
TRUST Club began hosting information tables during the lunch periods in 2022. These information tables provide facts and opportunities to learn about students of all abilities. They promote awareness, acceptance and inclusion for all.
October is Down Syndrome awareness month and the club hosted their first information table in October 2022. They had ribbons to promote awareness. Students signed a ribbon and the club displayed them in their display case throughout the month.
Their first information table was a big success and many students stopped by to learn more and sign a ribbon in support.
“I think the ribbons are engaging for students, an artistic way, and also involving them firsthand with their names. So I think the ribbons are a great idea,” senior Ainsley Smith said.
Following on the success of the first table, the TRUST Club continues to host tables throughout the years. They have promoted awareness for Epilepsy in November, Cerebral Palsy in March and Autism in April.
“I know that student council appreciates when they are down there helping to spread awareness about events that are going on,” senior Maysen Puhrman said.
“I didn’t get to see the Cerebral Palsy awareness table on March 5 but my friends saw it and then we were involved texting about wearing green on the next Wednesday,” Puhrmann said.
Green is the color for Cerebral Palsy awareness and TRUST Club promoted wearing green on Wednesdays in March. The club promotes the different awareness months with colors that represent the different abilities they are educating people about.
We surveyed five different classrooms and asked if the students would visit an information table during their lunch time. The responses were an overwhelming yes.
During the survey we found that many students were unaware of these opportunities to learn more about the diversity in our school. Now that they know they said they would watch for these tables and stop by to learn more.
“I would like to learn more about students identities, or things that they identify with personally, because there’s such a large population of diverse student here, and getting to know all of our students better, I think is really important,” Smith said.
TRUST Club is a club that brings people with and without disabilities together to create an environment of mutual respect, understanding and inclusion for all. Their hope is that the information tables they have been hosting will inspire other groups and clubs to bring awareness to the different opportunities available within our diverse school community.
“I think having information and awareness, such as presentations that go on all throughout the year would be good. BLAST week is a big week, Being Loving and Sharing Together, so I know that would be a great time to do it as well. But I mean I think any and all times it’s good to be learning and having awareness,” Puhrmann said.
