At Irvington High School, seniors Ahana Vashishth and Michelle Nguyen are working to make campus life more inclusive for a group of students they felt was often overlooked: special education students.
Through their roles in Associated Student Government (ASG), the two have been organizing events designed specifically to help special education students connect with others and express themselves in ways that traditional school activities don’t always allow.
The idea for the project grew out of observation and experience. Vashishth said she was motivated after repeatedly seeing special education students being isolated at school, and noticing how few opportunities they had to form friendships outside their classrooms.
“There was one student in particular who would come talk to me a lot,” she said. “It made me realize that there should be something more in place, especially since we had the platform through ASG to actually do something about it.”
While ASG regularly plans events for many different groups on campus, Nguyen also noticed that special education students were rarely the intended audience. “They weren’t really being reached,” she said. “We’ve created a lot of events for the general student body, but this group was consistently left out.”
Photos courtesy of Ahana Vashishth
Photos courtesy of Ahana Vashishth
Initially, the project focused on raising awareness about neurodiversity across the school. During Neurodiversity Awareness Week in March 2025, Vashishth and Nguyen organized activities such as guest speakers and simulations that helped students better understand common neurodivergent experiences. But they soon realized that they wanted direct engagement with special education students themselves.
Working closely with special education teachers and paraprofessionals, the two began hosting hands-on activities with the special education classes. These events, held roughly every month, are designed to be low-pressure and accessible, taking into account students’ different sensory needs and communication styles. Many of the activities center on arts and crafts, which both students said have been especially effective.
“One of the biggest things we’ve noticed is the change in energy,” Vashishth said. “Their schedules are usually very repetitive, so when something new happens, you can really see how excited they get.” Teachers have also expressed appreciation, noting that the events give students something to look forward to and an opportunity to interact with people outside their usual routines.
Nguyen said one of the most meaningful moments comes at the end of each event. “When we say goodbye, they’re already talking about seeing us next time,” she said. “The teachers always tell us how much the students look forward to it.”
Looking ahead to the spring semester, Vashishth and Nguyen are planning to expand the scope of their events by collaborating with other Irvington clubs. They hope to partner with groups like robotics, crocheting and even juggling club to introduce a wider variety of activities and involve more of the school community. They are also preparing to host another Neurodiversity Awareness Week in March, continuing their efforts to educate the broader student body.
While the project is currently focused on Irvington, both students hope it can eventually serve as a model for other schools. For now, they say the most important step is simply starting. “If you see a community that’s underrepresented,” Vashishth said, “you kind of just have to go for it.”
