Students at CHS are striving to educate others on a rare condition called Rett Syndrome. Best Buddies and ASB joined together this year to bring attention to the condition by holding in-school events for students to show their support and raise awareness.
Around 1 in 10,000 girls are born with Rett Syndrome around the globe annually. CHS currently has four enrolled students with Rett Syndrome. Junior Juliana Yakuta, a club officer for Best Buddies, believes that it is important to help all students feel connected and supported at CHS.
“Rett Syndrome affects many people around the world,” Yakuta said. “By learning about it and spreading awareness at our school, we can support classmates who might be affected and make our community more understanding and inclusive.”
This past October, Best Buddies organized Purple Out Day for students to show that they care for Rett Syndrome. Students came to school wearing purple, which is the color that represents the condition. The event also offered games to play at lunch and a performance from the Lancer Dancers.
“[Purple Out Day] was a fun way to raise awareness and bring everyone together for a good cause,” Yakuta said.
Junior Ava Sweasy is a member of the Best Buddies club and she feels that education about the condition is crucial to spreading awareness within the community. Speaking out about Rett Syndrome is another way to bring attention to the cause.
“I would say, do a lot of research about the cause,” Junior Ava Sweasy said. “Just talking about it as much as you can is the best thing that you can do.”
Being a member of the club for over a year, Yakuta emphasizes that being involved in school events and clubs is essential to gaining a deeper connection to the community. Best Buddies meets every Thursday in room 4003, enabling students to participate in friendship-building activities so that students can feel more united in a diverse community.
“I would suggest joining any events or activities that Best Buddies puts together,” Yakuta said. “It’s really great to see people join us at our meetings. Just spreading awareness by talking to friends and sharing information on social media can make a big impact.”
Students can continue to do more for the school community and actively learn about Rett Syndrome to build a sense of unity within the school. Sweasy highlights the importance of giving the community a sense of belonging and unity.
“I felt inspired to help with this cause because it’s really important to me that we are kind and inclusive to everybody,” Sweasy said. “I would like to help people learn more about it.”
As Best Buddies and ASB continue to organize events supporting a wider understanding of Rett Syndrome, students continue to learn more about the cause and allow students affected to feel more included in the CHS community.
“Honestly, I think it’s awesome that our school spreads awareness for Rett Syndrome,” Yakuta said. “It really shows how much we care about our students. It helps us understand what people with Rett Syndrome go through and how we can support them.”
