Students in the unique leadership class at Emily Carr Secondary School are helping to build a more inclusive school community by planning and running events for students with special education needs.
The Leadership Class is designed to help students develop initiative, communication, teamwork and public speaking skills through lessons and taking an active role in planning and leading school activities.
The class focused on creating meaningful opportunities for students in the community class to connect with their peers, helping to foster a sense of belonging, inclusion and community within the school.
“My expectation for this activity is just to give them a sense that we’re all together, and that we don’t see them as someone with a disability. They’re just another kid like me,” said Nico, a student in the Leadership Class.
As part of their learning, students explore the different ways people communicate and learned how to create activities that are welcoming, safe and enjoyable for everyone.
“I think the lesson informed us [that] everybody communicates differently, and how to be patient with one another and to treat people with respect and kindness,” said Lia, a Leadership Class student.
Students put their learning into action by organizing a board games event with two community classes, creating opportunities for students to build relationships and connect with one another.
“The patience and the kindness from the leadership class is really evident, and their comfort level is really evident, and the kids in the autism class are just being their awesome selves and having a great time,” Sarah Hunter, Head of Physical Education.
The Leadership Class also hosted a track and field event for students in the community class on the school’s new turf field. Leadership students planned and led a variety of activities, including races and throwing events, served as event hosts and coached participants throughout the day.
Through experiences like these, students are developing valuable leadership skills while gaining a deeper understanding of inclusion, empathy and collaboration.
“What I’m hoping with the leadership class is that my students have an opportunity to grow as individuals and to see that not everybody is so different, and also take some of those skills into the working world with them, because it's not just going to be in a school community that we work with people with different needs,” said Shannon Ogilvie, Leadership Class Teacher at Emily Carr Secondary School.
Watch the smiles on students' faces and hear more from students in the Leadership and community classes in this short video.