At Airport High School in West Columbia, inclusion is about more than simply being invited to participate. It is about friendship, connection and knowing you truly belong.
That belief is at the heart of the Wing Mate Club, a student club whose mission is to promote positive social and educational interactions among students with and without intellectual disabilities while encouraging unity, cooperation, inclusion and acceptance.
Now in its second year, the Wing Mate Club has grown from 20 members in its inaugural year to 52 this year. But the club’s success is measured in much more than numbers. School officials say it can be seen in the friendships being formed, the smiles shared during Special Olympics competition and the excitement students feel when their Wing Mates walk through the door…