During the first week of the fourth quarter, Southwest held the first Unified Week in the school’s history. The purpose of Unified Week was to spread awareness about the inclusion of people with disabilities and bring people with disabilities and those without together. Each day of the week had a theme centered around the idea of inclusion, and students signed a poster at the front of the school making a pledge to make the school more inclusive.

Monday was explaining what unified is, Tuesday was about diagnosis awareness, Wednesday was about awareness around not using the R-Slur, Thursday was about person-first language and Friday was about celebrating inclusion.

The month’s MTSS-B lesson incorporated all the elements of Unified Week in a presentation used to educate and spread awareness about making the school more inclusive. 

“I think it’s important to spread awareness for inclusion and to get as many people involved as possible,” junior Ella Fundus said. “The idea is that you’re including someone no matter their differences.”

Unified Week was organized by senior Allison Walbrecht and juniors Lilly Donè and Ella Fundus. Unified Week was launched alongside the Unified Council this year by Fundus, Walbrecht and Donè. Unified Council is a student led council that meets twice a month to discuss how to be more inclusive for students with disabilities.

“I’m really excited that we are having a Unified Week,” senior Allison Walbrecht said. “Because the Unified Council is new this year, to be able to launch a Unified Week as well is something that we are really proud of that we worked very hard on.”

Students can come to Unified Club meetings once a month, the third Thursday at 2:15 p.m. during 4th block in the commons.