On one of the biggest nights of football season, senior night was shared with members of Circle of Friends. Students who rarely got time on the field were now under the stadium lights, too. The mission of MHS COF is to establish friendships and promote inclusion across campus through connecting students with disabilities to their developing peers for meaningful social interaction. For many of these students, running out of the tunnel alongside football players was a first. Emotions were high and excitement was contagious, but, unfortunately, the weather had other plans.
A rain delay forced members, volunteers, and families of Circle of Friends into M9, attempting to wait out the conditions. Although this situation was not ideal, an unexpected delay transformed the night into something deeper than a pregame celebration.
Senior Ava Davis, a member of PE Partners and leadership officer in Circle of Friends, recalls many of the student’s parents being there, and instead of cleats on turf, there were conversations, quiet moments, and shared appreciation.
“I got to meet so many of the special needs students’ parents, and they were crying with gratitude, just seeing me be their student’s friend and interact with them,” Davis said. “They were so thankful, and that really hit me in the face. I was like, wow, that’s a crazy impact.”
Davis has been a part of Circle of Friends since freshman year and joined PE Partners for her final year of Highschool. Spending every day with students that have intellectual disabilities inclined Davis to reflect on her high school experience and the potential for it to have turned out completely different if not for her volunteer work.
“I think I would definitely be less grateful, because I feel like when you’re around those students, it kind of, you know, makes you think about how things could be different. It just makes you very thankful,” Davis said.
Crediting these programs with shaping her character and outlook, building relationships and bonding with these students has never been an issue for Davis.
“Showing up to class every day, I get greeted with hugs and screams and high fives, and it just makes you feel so special when you know that those students trust you,” Davis said.
The significance behind perspective is something Davis is especially passionate towards. The realization that life could so easily be different for any individual encourages appreciation rather than entitlement.
In regards to PE Partners, an inclusive-based program that pairs general education students with students that have disabilities, Davis describes its impact at Marcus as something that is fundamental for developing social and motor skills. She recognizes her role in these student’s lives as one who is supposed to lead by example and provide guidance.
“The whole purpose for them being in that class is learning how to be in the real world and getting social interaction, and kind of getting them in line,” Davis said.
The trust these students place in her also comes with responsibility. Davis’s work in the world of special education creates a space where students are not only included but also celebrated. It takes a particular kind of person to thrive in this kind of environment and clearly, Ava Davis is one of those people.
While Davis discovered her passion through experience, Senior Holly Payne’s dedication to Circle of Friends began at home. A member of the leadership council, Payne has been surrounded by special needs advocacy her entire life. When asked where her passion for the club derives from, Payne shared her unique family background that makes her time with Circle of Friends even more impactful. Ultimately shaping Payne’s understanding of empathy, growing up alongside her brother Darrin, who has autism, has been the threshold of her experience.
“My brother’s special needs, so I kind of always had a heart for special needs students,” Payne said. “I watched my brother grow up in Circle of Friends, and just seeing people be kind to him [there], I wanted to do the same, be a friend.”
Payne’s background has prepared her for the compassion, patience, and kindness one must possess in order to be a member of Circle of Friends. Above all, watching Darrin grow up in this environment inspired her to be the kind of friend that others were to him. However, Payne’s upbringing came with sacrifices that many would never consider. Regardless, it was her decision to turn that into positively impacting the lives of others.
“I feel like it just affected how I grew up, because [there were] a lot of things we could do or couldn’t do, because of him,” Payne said. “It’s all I ever knew, because he was older than me, but it was hard because my parents had to give a lot of attention to him, and I wouldn’t get attention. I had to take care of him even though he was older than me.”
Although her family life often revolved around her brother’s needs, Payne feels lucky that this prepared her to support others. Fortunately, Darrin grew up with a sister who was gifted with the rare capacity to extend affection and warmth to people of all backgrounds. Expanding opportunities to those intellectually and developmentally challenged is something Circle of Friends aims to address.
“They’re people too,” Payne said. “They’re not less of a person just because they have a disability.”
Many special education teachers earn immense respect from their peers for the impact on the lives of the students they work with. Katherine Rector is one of these educators, dedicating individual time, love, and care to her students.
“As a Circle of Friends sponsor, I get to help create moments students genuinely look forward to like the Grand Ball, football tailgates, and our Halloween party with the middle schools,” Rector said. “Seeing friendships form and students feel included during these events is the best part and a reminder that truly, ‘We are Marcus, we are one.’”
Organizing events that are accessible to all kinds of students isn’t an easy task, but Mrs. Rector does it all with a smile on her face. Through educators that are genuinely passionate about their students, Circle of Friends becomes more than a club–it becomes a community rooted in sincere connection. Her influence is woven in with every interaction, earning the admiration of all who’ve had the pleasure of working with her.
Hearing from individuals that center their lives around helping people oftentimes inspires others to open their hearts as well.
“Maybe sometimes people are kind of hesitant to join because they’re scared or judgmental of these students, but they’re all the same as us, and they’re just looking for friends,” Payne said.
Getting outside of your comfort zone has the potential to become a great opportunity to involve yourself with some people that you would never expect to become such a huge part of your life. Davis didn’t expect it, but the lessons she has learned are one she knows she would not have gained otherwise.
“It’s a big part of my life, and something that has really not only humbled me, but kind of changed the directory of how I view the world and how I view others,” Davis said. “It’s made me a better person.”
Thanks to students like Payne and Davis along with educators like Rector, hundreds of students that have gone through Circle of Friends at Marcus Highschool have experienced unconditional love, a sense of belonging, and most importantly, a home.
