Teaming Together to Grow Compassion

For the second year in a row, The Arc of Delaware County (Delarc) and Delta Kappa Gamma are working together to help build a lifetime of caring and compassion for students in Delaware County. With news of the negative effects of bullying and peer pressure, this contest endeavors to challenge students to see past differences and focus on the person inside.

The theme of this year’s contest is “Everybody Can” and is open to all Delaware County Elementary and Middle schools. The goal is to educate students and their communities about people with developmental disabilities and strengthen character by building compassion and caring. Students are encouraged to take a proactive approach to increase their knowledge and awareness by utilizing resources provided from the contest packet, independently research the topic by requesting a self-advocate from Delarc to speak to the class, read articles, books, visit websites, and interview family and community members. Projects that students can create for entry in the contest are only limited by the imagination. Some examples of projects include: songs, poems, posters, videos, book reports, creating a puppet show or role playing scenario, creating a power point presentation, planning and hosting an event or creating a children’s book.

There are three cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each school. And winning entries from grades 5-8 will also be entered into a county-wide contest for a chance to win a Grand Prize of $500 or laptop computer, and scholarships for their class to participate in Delarc’s “Share, Learn, Grow Mentorship Program.” The “Share, Learn, Grow Mentorship Program” is an interactive one-day program where people with disabilities serve as mentors to the students; the students are paired up with people supported by Delarc and they spend the day side by side learning, sharing, and getting to know each other at one of Delarc’s facilities.

Erika Liddle, South Kortright Central School teacher, whose 6th grade class worked together on a class project for the contest last year and won the Grand Prize, had this to say to other teachers considering entering the contest: “You need to do it; you have a chance to make a difference in how children see things, and this is a great opportunity to build compassion.” Participating in the contest and the “Share, Learn, Grow” program was how her students learned a valuable life lessons. One thing that struck her during her class’s reading of a book about autism was a connection the kids made to a former classmate. What they had not understood about this child was why he had behaved certain ways. They had an “aha” realization that probably this child had autism and that explained why he had behaved a certain way. The students’ visit to Delarc reinforced this understanding . “This program fits hand in hand with discussing bullying and its impacts,” shared Erika. Before, they may have been inclined to shy away from him, or perhaps pick on him because of the differences, but after their contest experience, their eyes were opened.

To learn more about this contest or to request an information packet for this contest, contact Catherine Tweedie at Delarc, (607) 865-7126, email Catherine@delarc.org or Pam Thompson at Delta Kappa Gamma, (607) 746-3497 or email pandg1@live.com. The contest is running through February 1st, 2012.