‘We all need to appreciate each other’

Celebrating diversity at Lawrence Middle School

Posted

In a world where more people are able to interact in an instant, it is more important than ever to be able to communicate and relate to each other.

As a result, more schools are working to educate children to embrace their differences to create positive relationships, whether they are collaborating on school projects, or as they head into adulthood.

It was at Lawrence Middle School where the children in grades six through eight shared their experiences with each other at their diversity celebration on Feb. 26, “I Am Lawrence,” the students and staff all wore brightly colored T-shirts with words such as “Hope” and “Respect” on the back.

The assembly began with a video and presentation of diversity banners, also bearing the “I Am Lawrence” motto on them. Then, throughout the program, students spoke to share their experiences as diverse people. Between speakers, the children sang and danced to cultural offerings such as the Horah and Bachata.

The idea for this diversity celebration is an offshoot from an earlier panel which took place last school year at the middle school, where a panel involved teachers and adults from the Lawrence community speaking about growing up in a diverse environment. There could be another diversity education event to take place by the end of the current school year, but Principal Willis Perry said he wasn’t certain yet.

“We’d like to have another diversity education event, but time this year might not allow it,” he said. “We’d like that one to be a combination of adults and children participating. It really depends on what we can plan and do by the end of the year.”

Ana Herrera is a sixth-grader from Lawrence who was born without her left hand. She spoke about how people treated her because of her hand. “I have a prosthetic arm, and always hated wearing it,” she said. “I’ve learned to accept myself. When I was younger, I was always very jumpy, so I signed up for dance classes and gymnastics. Some people in my classes and in my life tried to make me feel bad because I’m different but I don’t let them.”

Page 1 / 2