Islip High School held its second annual Choose to Include event on April 3, organized by special education teacher Melissa Horn and her classroom team. As a Unified School through the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools initiative, Islip is dedicated to promoting social inclusion by bringing together students with and without disabilities through sports and other activities. The goal of Choose to Include is to bring awareness and create meaningful connections between all students. By participating in interactive activities and simulations, neurotypical students gain a deeper understanding of the experiences, challenges and strengths of their neurodivergent classmates. This event fosters empathy, breaks down barriers and promotes a more inclusive school environment where all students feel seen, heard and valued.
For the second consecutive year, the high school prepared for Choose to Include with a Chalk and Talk kickoff event the afternoon before at Islip Middle School. This year, Buccaneer University and Functional Academics students spearheaded the activity in hopes of gathering as many of their peers as possible to chalk inclusive and inspiring messages and artwork on the sidewalks of the school entrances. Among the messages were “Celebrate Differences,” “Don’t Stand By, Stand Up” and “Inclusion Starts with You.” Over 75 students were in attendance this year, with Unified bowling, the Art Club and IMS student government making the April 2 event part of their afternoon meetings.
“It was incredible to witness many groups of students spanning various ages join together with the same mission,” counselor Nicole Hall said. “Including IMS student government representatives allowed the conversation of inclusivity to start even earlier and spark excitement over this important mission. The afternoon was filled with laughter and excitement as they decorated the sidewalk. It allowed students to begin to think about the purpose of Choose to Include and create momentum leading into the tremendous event the following day.”
“The middle school’s student government members were eager to be a part of the event and even asked if there would be more chances to work with high school students in the future,” IMS student government adviser Sara Comiskey said. “The event also got the eighth graders excited about high school next year, with many saying the inclusive messages were powerful and that it was awesome to see so many students attend.”
Date Added: 4/23/2025