Submitted Photo Pictured from left: Molly Shaw, Co-President of the Silver Creek Youth Advisory Committee; Janet Decker, Special Education Teacher; Wayne Hotelling; Jen Meyers; Mike Ostrye; Claire Gonzalez, Co-President of the Youth Advisory Committee; Elaine Hotelling; and Dr. Katie Ralston, Silver Creek Superintendent.

SILVER CREEK — “Inclusion is for everyone.”

That was the message delivered by members of the Make A Mark self advocacy group from Dunkirk’s Resource Center at assemblies held in collaboration with the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) at Silver Creek Central School earlier this month.

Students from grades four to five, as well as middle school and high school students learned of the power and importance of inclusion at assemblies throughout the school day.

In March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and its partners collaborated to lead Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM), an annual campaign highlighting how people with and without disabilities form strong communities together. In line with this movement, Special Olympics also promotes the Global Choose to Include Movement on the first Wednesday in March.

In the past, Make A Mark has worked with the City of Dunkirk to declare March as Choose to Include Month in the city. This year, the Town of Hanover joined in this endeavor when students from Silver Creek and Forestville schools requested a similar declaration.

After learning of the request through an article in the OBSERVER, Make A Mark reached out to the Silver Creek Youth Advisory Committee to come speak with the students about what inclusion means to them and how being included has affected them.

Three members of the group prepared statements to present to the students. Mike Ostrye and Jen Meyers each read a statement aloud at the assemblies. Although Mary Hayes was unable to attend, Ostrye read her statement at each assembly. Each statement involved details about their childhood experiences and how they felt being excluded or bullied.

Meyers said, “This bullying made me feel like the stupidest person alive. Can you imagine feeling like that every day?”

Hayes commented that when she took an interest in the field of food service, other students told her, “That it was stupid to do it and that I couldn’t do it,” but she completed the program and received her certificate.

Ostrye’s statements took a different approach, asking the students to “think twice about treating someone with a disability differently or excluding them. And maybe even take the extra time to encourage people that may need a little extra help.”

Each person’s story covered how successful they were now as adults – working, making friends, and being a part of the community. The advocacy group advisor spoke as well, stating, “They are all success stories. They have jobs, homes, they vote just like everyone else, and they are valued members of the communities where they live and work.”

Silver Creek recently completed its sixth annual Choose to Include Spirit Week, sponsored by YAC and the school’s Unified Sports teams. Each day, the students and staff wore colors to raise awareness regarding Autism, Bullying, Mental Health, and Pride in who you are.

On March 5, the entire district took part in the Global Choose to Include: Take the Pledge Day, signing pledge cards demonstrating their willingness to make their school an inclusive and accepting environment for everyone. This presentation was a wonderful way to build community relationships and grow the Inclusion Movement.

At the end of each presentation, Ostrye challenged the students to be kind to others, get to know their peers, and help others in need. He concluded his statement with words everyone can live by: “I always like to say, ‘Hey, get to know us before you judge us.'”