The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Program supports inclusion groups
Students in Lorain County middle schools are working to make sure their peers are not being left out and feel included on their campuses.
You Belong, which is a program funded by a grant from the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County, helps a lot of groups in middle schools by providing more resources for them to hold events that focus on making sure no one feels left out.
“A lot of these programs and clubs you see in these schools organizing these events, would still exist without You Belong, but it helps them with what they are already doing,” said Elizabeth Wolanski, director of Child and Adolescent Services for the MHARS Board. “It’s a program that has grown over the past five years going from six schools to now 14 this year.”
Wolanski said each You Belong group is led by a student.
“It’s really cool,” she said. “Part of the program is the groups get together every so often and plan out what activities they want to do.
“The whole point of the groups is that they are student-led. Each group has an adviser that helps guide the students’ vision, but it’s the students’ group and they create the activities.”
Wolanski, who has attended some of the group meetings in each school, said she really is impressed with what she has seen with the students.
“As an adult, I would fail miserably at creating a program for inclusion for middle school students,” she said. “One of the groups was talking about a ‘mix your clique’ day where the kids would sit with different kids than they normally would at lunch.
“The students, however, worried that no one would talk to each other and it would be awkward, so they changed it up to make it more of a choice and added in having the choir and band be present as well.”
Promoting inclusion
Wolanski said she has seen a lot of good ideas for inclusion.
“With Valentine’s Day coming up, I have seen the idea of having the group make valentines for everyone,” she said. “It’s something with affirmation and a candy; it’s so every kid gets something.
“A lot of the schools have a thing where you can send someone a carnation for Valentine’s Day. It feels lonely when you’re the only one that doesn’t get something.
“These groups also have ideas like putting notes of kindness with a positive message on each student’s locker. Those kinds of things really make the students feel good.”
Wolanski said the schools understand the importance of inclusion.
“The groups would do this anyway, without the funding from the MHARS
Board, because they realize how important it is,” she said. “Middle school years can be tough for kids, so this really helps them feel like they belong.”
One of the groups that is new to the You Belong Program this year, the Start With Hello Club at North Ridgeville Academic Center, knows how important it is to have a group in a school to promote inclusion.
“We already had a group here at the school, but this is our first year with You Belong and we’re excited about what we are doing,” said Jordan Andrews, a school counselor at North Ridgeville Academic Center and adviser for the group. “We have been involved with the Start With Hello Week with Sandy Hook (Promise), and the kids have continued to do more.”
The students
Kya Wilson, 15, an eighthgrader at North Ridgeville Academic Center, said the group’s goal is to make sure no one is treated differently.
“As a person of color, the group is a great opportunity for me,” Kya said. “It allows me to speak for a lot of the different groups in the school and make sure everyone is treated fairly.”
Lexi Perkins, 11, a fifthgrader at the school, said the group has a special importance for her.
“I used to not be accepted ... I know what it’s like,” Lexi said. “I wanted to join the group to make sure others are accepted amongst the students in the school.”
Kya said the main idea for the group is that everyone feels good about coming to school.
“We want everyone to feel welcome,” she said. “You never know what someone is feeling or thinking until you come together.”
Lexi said the group does not want to see someone left behind.
“Some people had friends that left them or are ignoring them,” she said. “So, my friends and I come over and make sure they have someone to sit with.”
Andrews said the group will be visited by Sandy Hook Promise for Start With Hello Week.
“For April 3 and 4, Sandy Hook Promise will be having their summit in our building,” he said. “There will be 500 students here from across the country who will see what our group is doing.
“There will be a workshop presentation that these guys will conduct to talk about what they have done (to promote inclusion). It’s not always the big things; sometimes it’s the little things that make a difference and treating people with respect.”
The group is working on more ideas to promote inclusion.
“I want to do something where we have a bunch of different foods from different cultures for lunch,” Kya said. “We’ll have students take a note of what they like the best with the goal that the school will start serving that at lunch.”
Jenna Villanueva, 13, an eighth-grader at the school, said the group doesn’t want anyone to feel left out.
“We want, as a school, to make others feel welcome,” Jenna said. “This means reaching out to them and make sure they know people are glad to have them at the school.”
She said she would like to mix up classrooms one day as a way to promote inclusion in the school.
“I think it would be good to mix up the classes,” Jenna said. “We could go to other rooms and meet new people.”
Claire Wolanski, 11, daughter of Elizabeth Wolanski and a sixthgrader at the school, said their group has grown.
“We have 25 to 35 students in our group now,” Claire said. “We do a lot of things during Start With Hello Week, and we met with a lot of other groups at LCCC (Lorain County Community College), so we want to do more to make this a better school.”
Lee Armbruster, principal of grades 5-8 at the North Ridgeville Academic Center, said the group has had an impact in the school.
“We have our advisory time two days a week ... and, when talking about school climate, a student said the Start With Hello group is making a difference,” Armbruster said. “If one percent of students feel they don’t belong at a school, that’s too many.
“People should feel included. The best way to reach kids is through kids.”