Harbortown Rotary would like to congratulate Annalise Libbon on being selected as the winner of the 4-Way Test scholarship essay contest! Annalise will receive a $500.00 scholarship from Harbortown, and her essay was sent on to compete at the Rotary district level competition.
Annalise is a senior at East High School and plans to either attend Bethel University or the University of Northwestern in St. Paul to study nursing after she graduates this spring. Her essay was titled “Special Education” and connected the importance of special education in public schools with Rotary’s 4-way test. Annalise was inspired to write her essay on special education thanks to her own personal experience with and involvement in East’s Circle of Friends Club – a highlight of her time at East getting to meet people she would not normally have the chance to interact with.
“In 2018-2019 there were 7.1 million students … who received special education. Odds are that everyone knows someone who is involved in special education, and yet, special education often takes a back seat to other school programs. The improvement of special education should be one of the top priorities at a school. Following the guidelines of the Four-Way Test (is it truthful? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendship? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?) will prove that special education should be prioritized…
Special education programs can also be improved by implementing a club called Circle of Friends. Circle of Friends is a club at my school that has students who are not in special education be mentors with the students in special education. In this group we spend a lot of time playing games and getting to know the kids who are in special education. The past four years I have had the opportunity to be in Circle of Friends, and it has led me to meet a lot of new people that I normally wouldn’t have meet. This club promotes the Four-Way Test because it encourages good will and friendship among the students.”