During the week of March 18, students at EMS participated in Disabilities Awareness Week. Each day held different activities to help raise awareness and encourage students’ empathy towards disabled individuals.

Along with daily inclusive and motivational quotes delivered over the morning announcements, students made pledges to “Disable the Label” and wore wristbands to show their support, experienced playing basketball in a wheelchair, and participated in in-class challenges to emulate what someone with a physical disability might feel on a regular basis.

Students also attended a special assembly hosted by a young man who suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was young, but now visits hospitals around the country making up songs and creating cartoons to raise patients’ spirits.

“All week we encouraged students to see the “able” and not the label,” said special education teacher Ms. Martine Pirolo. “And we hope that this mindset will carry over into their everyday lives, continuing to enhance the atmosphere of empathy and kindness in our school.”