我们是! 朋友!
十大网投平台信誉排行榜阿尔图纳分校的学生们与社区残障人士共度时光，享受着纯粹的快乐.
“It's one of the most exciting things I've ever done in my life.”
One might think that as a junior in college, 泰勒·格林(Taylor Greene)正在谈论加入姐妹会或春假旅行. 但她实际上指的是她和艾玛·雷巴共同经营的一个学生组织.
它们都是 elementary and early childhood education 专业, 他们都很高兴能成为十大网投平台信誉排行榜阿尔图纳分校“我们是朋友”小组的一员，这个小组被玛丽·安妮·蒙称为“完美的小协同作用”.“蒙, assistant professor of special education, 我想成立一个组织，让学生有机会与残障人士交流. At the same time, 来自Arc of Blair县的Maria Brandt正在寻找志愿者来执行其提供教育的使命, 社会化, 为有智力和发育障碍的人提供支持.
今年夏天，艾玛·瑞巴(左一)和泰勒·格林(右一)在独木舟溪州立公园组织了一个“我们是朋友”的皮划艇日活动.
Credit: Penn State
Once the two connected, their shared vision came to life in the form of 我们是 朋友, which is open to all students at the college. 年龄在18-30岁、相对自给自足、接受Arc服务的个人都可以参加.
这两个小组在每个秋季学期开始时开会，决定他们在这一年中想要做什么事件和活动. Everyone’s input is welcome and considered. 我们Are成员从那里开始，计划和准备一个活动，通常每个月举行一次.
One of the many activities of 我们是 朋友 was a mini golf outing.
Credit: Penn State
Past events included attending a Curve game, 游泳, bingo and trivia night, 迷你高尔夫, sidewalk chalking, and a dance party. Over the summer, members went kayaking at a local state park, an experience that turned out to be a highlight for everyone involved.
“It was the first time for many of us to go kayaking, but everyone was so open to trying something new,格林说。. “I think that's one of the great things about this group, 只是能够和新朋友一起做新事情.”
蒙说，看到学生们对Arc成员如此温柔，真是不可思议, coaching and encouraging them. 那天结束时，Arc的所有朋友都划完了皮划艇，许多人还要求再划一次. “You could see the joy on their faces—they were just glowing. It turned out to be exactly what my whole vision was for this group. It was just a beautiful, beautiful day.”
From the beginning, 十大网投平台信誉排行榜阿尔图纳分校的学生们认为，我们是朋友不仅仅是一个他们可以自称为志愿者的组织. 虽然他们认为Arc成员不会只是普通的熟人, they likely hadn’t foreseen just how much connection they’d make.
“有两个很棒的女孩就像我最好的朋友，”格林说. “We’ve gotten so close, and we hug every time we see each other. It’s so fun to see them and catch up on things and bond. It’s just amazing.”
《信誉最好的大网投平台》的成员们在圣帕特里克节的聚会上与他们的爱尔兰根源取得了联系.
Credit: Penn State
Mong has been so pleased to see these friendships blooming. As she told the students, these aren’t instructional or coaching missions, they are times to hang out and enjoy each other’s company. “Their enthusiasm is just wildly contagious. They’ve melded together, and it all just naturally flows.”
While it may not be an instructive group, 他们确实在相互学习生活和最重要的事情. 艾玛钢筋, 小学和幼儿教育专业，《信誉最好的大网投平台》的联合总裁, is discovering the joy of letting go. “我们的朋友告诉我，我不必太在意别人对我的看法. They show me that it’s okay to be who I am, be my own person. And that makes me happy.”
虽然连接确实是该计划的支柱，但它的另一部分是准备.
蒙说，尽管她在小学教育项目中教授特殊教育, 她的学生没有足够的机会与残疾儿童或成人互动. These skills will be imperative in their classrooms, 毫无疑问，学习障碍、言语和语言障碍以及唐氏综合症的儿童数量将继续增加, 自闭症, 和多动症.
As the students spend more time with their Arc friends, 他们一直在挑战自己对残疾人能力的一些看法和偏见. Some were pleasantly surprised, 例如, that members with Down syndrome can carry on full conversations. Some members are talented artists, 其中一人去年从十大网投平台信誉排行榜阿尔图纳分校毕业，另一人目前正在该校就读, and one recently got his driver’s license.
“看到我们与残疾人的共同点，并专注于这些共同点，而不是任何差异，这很酷,Rebar说。. “We’re seeing all the potential they have and how they fit into the world.”
格林补充道:“他们100%能够胜任我们在集体活动中所做的每一件事。. “Their disabilities are not who they are. 重要的是要把他们视为独立的个体，给予他们作为人应得的尊重.”
我们是 朋友 members Chalk the Walk at Penn State 阿尔图纳.
Credit: Penn State
No matter what their major, 蒙认为，该组织的学生只有认识到残疾人可以融入社区，才能成为更好的教师和更好的公民.
是的. 人们现在可能明白了为什么属于《信誉最好的大网投平台》是最令人兴奋的, 也许是泰勒·格林迄今为止做过的最重要的事情之一. “It’s something I look forward to every month. I get so pumped. 我一直在问自己，怎样才能让更多的人来和我一起体验这个俱乐部的快乐.”
Says Rebar, “We are all so happy when we’re together. 和这么多快乐的人在一起会让你很开心.”
