Students at Veterans Memorial High School have begun to embrace a new initiative with a goal of reaching students from everyone aspect of campus life. It is called Project Unify, Meet in the Middle (MIM) and is headed by Special Olympics Texas (SOTX). It is designed to promote acceptance and inclusion amongst students with and without intellectual disabilities.
The program idea was brought to the campus by Diana Cremar, adapted PE teacher. Teachers, Kathy Howell and Maricela Munoz quickly came on as facilitators. They said word quickly spread about the program after only a couple of meetings. Without any campus-wide announcements over 40 students had signed up and have begun the process of taking ownership and leadership of the MIM movement.
The theme of inclusion prompted one homecoming queen hopeful to reach out to a Special Olympics athlete by the name of Cristian Bautista to run for the homecoming court with her. Bautista went through the regular selection processes, that included personal interviews and was eventually elected homecoming king.
“It is about breaking down walls,” Howell said. “The students learn about tolerance, building friendships that perhaps they might not have had otherwise. They get to see that just because people are different, they can still be friends.”
Cremar said the students will hold regular meetings to plan and then take part in group activities and service projects.
Howell said the students brainstorming has included social events, campus improvement projects, and a campaign called “Erase the “R-Word” .
Cremar indicated MIM should give students the chance to participate together in activities that focus on interactive, inclusive opportunities to increase acceptance and awareness of each student’s uniqueness while supporting fitness, disability awareness, academic achievement, and sports-related training.
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