On March 6, Cranston High School East students and faculty signed a special banner pledging to help increase inclusion awareness at the school.

“Cranston East is a place that fosters a culture where everyone is included,” said Trista Watson, a special education life skills instructor at Cranston East. “We believe that everyone has something important to offer and that we can all learn from each other. Our students deserve to be accepted and included within whatever journey they choose to follow. Here at Cranston East, we offer multiple ways for students to feel included, and it is intertwined within our everyday activities and learning.”

In addition to the banner signing, there will be several inclusion events held at the school. A full day of special events was planned for March 13.

“We will be starting with our ‘day’ game for unified basketball against our rivals, Cranston West,” Watson said. “Our students from the Unified volleyball team and basketball team will be receiving varsity letters during halftime. Our color guard will also be ‘unified’ and they will be performing during halftime. Students and staff will be wearing our very own designed ‘Choose to Include’ T-shirts this day to show our support as a school for including everyone.”

Watson was thrilled that a combined total of 97 students and faculty ordered the “Choose to Include” T-shirts and wore them on March 6 for the banner signing.

Emily Sanita – a member of the class of 2020 and a life skills student who is involved with many inclusion programs, including Best Buddies – was excited for the March 6 event.

“The most thing about Best Buddies that you go out to the community with your pair buddies,” she said. “I love playing with new friends on the basketball team. It makes me happy and so excited to play with teammates.”

Members of the Cranston East faculty also showed their support for all the inclusion programs.

“The Spread the Word of Inclusion initiative is so important because it celebrates people of all abilities, advocating kindness and respect for everyone,” said Ken Simone, a reading specialist/STAR testing coordinator and adviser for Best Buddies at Cranston East. “The faculty and students have rallied behind this cause and are working hard through a variety of programs to make CHSE the model of an environment that promotes the talents of all people rather than label them as different.”

Watson’s coworkers also take great pride in the work being done at East.

“I could not be prouder to be a special education teacher at Cranston High School East,” said Katie Salisbury-Grant, a special education life skills instructor, Best Buddies adviser and Special Olympics coach. “When we met with Special Olympics Rhode Island about the Choose to Include movement, it was hard to quantify the inclusion that happens at CHSE daily because it occurs so naturally that we don’t see it as doing something special but rather what is best for our students. Students are included in so many different aspects of their school day.”