Currently Browsing: News
NHS and Best Buddies promote awareness in school assembly
Special Olympics Director of Volunteer Programs Gale Gilmartin, speaks at Gilbert High's assembly to promote awareness to end the usage of the "R-word". Photo by Kelsey Haasch
Written by Abbey Willman - Staff Writer
To promote the awareness of respecting those with intellectual and learning disabilities, National Honor Society and the Best Buddies Club put on a “Spread the Word to End the Word” assembly on March 31. NHS president Devin Dale opened the assembly and introduced a Public Service Announcement from actor John C. Mckinley. Mckinley spoke of the negative effects of saying disrespecting words like “retard.”
“They feel like less valued members of society,” said Mckinley.
Another video was shown featuring actors Johnny Knoxville and Eddie Barbanell from The Ringer, a movie about a man who tries to rig the Special Olympics by posing as an athlete. Barbanell, who has Down’s syndrome, spoke of respecting people like him. “Break down the stereotypes,” he said.
Knoxville agrees and stated, “Don’t pity them or talk down to them.”
Special Olympics Director of Volunteer Programs Gale Gilmartin then spoke of just how effective kind words can have on people, and especially students, with disabilities. She recalled a true story in which a high school student, who had been invited to pizza by his “normal” classmates, had replied, “Sure.” It was the first word he had ever spoke in his life. Gilmartin also talked about Project UNIFY, a Special Olympics program that promotes respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities.
“Everybody’s a person,” she says. “We’re going to be unified.”
The final video was about Best Buddies Club and the positive effects it can have on those with and without disabilities. The club actively promotes “seeing people for their abilities rather than their disabilities.”
GHS senior and Best Buddies president Kai Schultz closed the assembly with a speech, stressing the importance of respect and stating that it’s the new “r-word,” instead of words like retard. [Link to Kai's article]
“It’s about promoting awareness,” he states. “It’s about pledging respect.”
The assembly ended with a verbal pledge led by Kai that many students and most teachers and administrators participated in. The pledge is:
“I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the r-word from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.”
To take the online pledge, go to www.r-word.org.
Leave a Reply