Discovery Ridge Elementary Students Celebrate "Diversity Week"

In a world covered in uniqueness and differences, we sometimes forget that these differences are worth celebrating. Last week, students at Discovery Ridge Elementary got the chance to do just that. From culture to disabilities, and even economic diversity, no stone was left unturned when it came to showing these students that diversity is what makes the human race special.

The goal was the to “celebrate everyone in the community,” according to Discovery Ridge Principal Laura Bates.

The idea for Diversity Week came about when one fifth-grade class had begun studying the story Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting. In the story, a boy and his father take up residence at an airport, having nowhere else to go after a family tragedy.

“Our class was moved by this story and we wanted to do something to make a difference,” one fifth-grade student said during the Diversity Rally on Wednesday.

The students rallied together to do just that, and the effort “Pennies for a Purpose” was born. Little by little, the students began collecting pennies to be donated to a charity that specifically changed the lives of children.

“We want everyone to know that Discovery Ridge Stars shine a light into the future to make the world a better place,” another student added.

On Valentine’s Day, all Discovery Ridge students will participate in a service project to benefit the . Kindergarten and first-grade students will create Valentine’s cards to give to the children, while second through fifth-grade students will be creating craft kits to send to the kids so they can create their own Valentine’s cards.

“We want you to know that even if it seems small, you are really making a difference to lots of other kids and helping them out when they’re in a tough time,” Mary Pat Smith from the Crisis Nursery shared during the rally on Wednesday.

Along with economic diversity, kindergarten and first-grade students focused primarily on disabilities awareness. Guest speakers and special dolls gave the students an inside knowledge of what people with disabilities experience.

Multiple dolls traveled around the school; some with physical disabilities, some representing different cultures; and all were equipped with books, journals, and other information about their disability or culture.

Second and third-graders focused primarily on cultural differences. They heard from a guest speaker from India, and also welcomed dolls into the classroom. The students were encouraged to treat the doll just as they would treat any other student and include them in the day’s activities.

Fourth and fifth-graders concentrated on the focus in Fly Away Home and studied economic diversity. One of the dolls they learned from represented Ethiopia and the differences in not only economy, but also culture.

The students also participated in school and community-focused activities. On Tuesday and Thursday, students participated in “Mix It Up At Lunch,” where they sat with students they don’t sit with on a regular basis. Conversation cards were placed on the tables to initiate conversation and to teach students that individuality is a treasured trait among us.

Buddy activities paired students with students from different grades and got them talking about traditions in their families. During one activity, paired students were given a Venn diagram and were told to write what was unique to each of them in the large circles and write what they had in common in the middle. Some kids like pizza, some don’t. Some kids have black hair, some have blonde. This activity got the students talking about their differences in a constructive and fun atmosphere.

Students debriefed on Friday by creating displays outside their classrooms for the other students to see. They also spent time journaling their experiences and participating in classroom discussions.

Some of the questions they were faced with by the end of the week included, “Do you find yourself talking to or playing with different people now?” and “What did you learn about someone that you didn’t know before?”

“My greatest hope for Diversity Week is that students take pride in who they are and appreciate the unique differences and strengths of others that together make us a strong and diverse community, that together make us all Discovery Ridge Elementary Stars,” said Erika Kennedy, school counselor and Diversity Week coordinator. “I think events like Diversity Week create a caring community at Discovery Ridge where all students feel they belong and are an important part of our school community.”