At Chandler Elementary School, students are participating in a campus tradition: "Celebrate You, Celebrate Me" Disability Awareness Week. This annual event encourages students to learn about disabilities, building a foundation of understanding, empathy, and respect.
The week supports Allen ISD’s Empowered Learning goal, which focuses on preparing students to be compassionate, informed citizens.
“‘Celebrate You, Celebrate Me’ Week is one of my favorite things where we bring students in to talk about a variety of disabilities,” said Dawn Horton, counselor at Chandler Elementary. “The more we expose students to disabilities, the better supporters we can be in our world, in our community, and here in our school.”
Organized by Horton, Coach Lisa Bingham, and School Secretary Jennie Gee, with the support of dedicated parent volunteers, the event highlights themes of kindness, respect, and inclusion.
“We really focus on the fact that kindness and respect matter to every person, whether they have a disability or not,” said Horton. “We are talking about accepting one another for who we are, and we want every person to feel included and valued. The more that we can get this message out to our kids, we hope that carries on out into the community forever and ever.”
As the activities kicked off, Horton energized the students with an inspiring message,
“Celebrate you. Celebrate me. We’re so excited for this week! It’s one of our favorite traditions, and you’ll walk away knowing more about different disabilities. The more you know, the better friend and supporter you can be to everyone around you,” she said.
Through "Celebrate You, Celebrate Me" Week, Chandler Elementary models Empowered Learning by equipping students with essential skills for kindness, empathy, and community support. This tradition, supported by teachers, staff, and parents, help students learn how to make a positive impact both in and beyond their school community.
