AWOD Students Striving to Make a Difference at NHS
By Caroline Galvin, Staff Writer
October 26, 2021
A World of Difference (AWOD) is a group of students actively trying to promote change within the culture here at Norwood High School. Led by Señor Reyes, Ms. Lowe-McLaurin, and Ms. Connolly, AWOD recently wrapped up their three, day-long training sessions. The group will continue to meet during WIN block every other week.
According to Ms. Connolly, A World of Difference is “a program sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League that is designed to help students learn how to become leaders in the school community.”
Student participants in AWOD, called peer leaders, are expected to take information from training sessions and apply it to real-world situations. They will also be running workshops throughout the year in order to educate other students on what they have learned.
AWOD members are studying various issues from microaggression to xenophobia. Anything and everything under the main topic of inequity will be covered during the meetings.
Señor Reyes says that “learning how to talk to people regarding these topics has been very valuable for [his] personal development,” and he hopes that other participants feel the same way.
Instead of being reactive when it comes to issues in the community, AWOD’s mission is to become more proactive.
Ms. Lowe-McLaurin says that the group is making efforts to “stomp out hate beforehand,” and to teach others to do the same. She also describes the main goal of AWOD as “making sure that everybody understands the systems of oppression and how to address them.”
The peer leaders have learned how to prevent situations of inequality and are ready to share their knowledge with fellow classmates.
Senior member Lizzie Cardini encourages students to get involved in AWOD and “learn how to make the community more inclusive and a better place for everyone at Norwood High.”
A World of Difference has already welcomed its new members for the 2021-2022 school year, but if students are looking to join next year, applications will be sent out in the spring.
