Huntington AWOD Club Members Visit Woodhull

Huntington High School students continue to make “A World of Difference” through a club more commonly known around the school district by the acronym AWOD.

The club promotes anti-bias and diversity programs that allow students to better understand the issues of prejudice and bigotry as well as providing a forum for exploring diverse viewpoints.

This year’s club is led by a dynamic group of officers, including Aidan Geller (president), Caroline McGreevy (vice president), Jessica Maixner (treasurer) and Olivia McGreevy (secretary). Suzi Biagi and Dr. Erica Murphy-Jessen serve as the organization’s faculty advisors.

For many years, AWOD has trained intermediate grade level students in techniques to promote an anti-bias and anti-bullying environment. One of those periodic training sessions recently occurred.

“An unbelievable crew of 27 AWOD peer trainers spent the day at Woodhull Intermediate School with fifth graders doing tolerance and anti-bias exercises,” Ms. Biagi said. “Three diverse groups of nine students each pushed in to all of the six fifth grade classes for a program they co-constructed and wrote regarding bullying, as well as appreciating diversity and facing their own possible biases.”

Ms. Biagi said that “perhaps the most poignant part of the training program were the ‘cross the line’ questions that elicited responses showing the students that they have had much more similar experiences than different.”

The Woodhull fifth graders and their high school instructors quickly bonded during the program. “They all learned so much from each other and can’t wait to get together again,” Ms. Biagi said. “Plans are being made for a spring reunion with this year‘s six graders and other programming is in the works to put these promising, empathetic and gifted students to the test of sharing their knowledge and passing on their goodness to their peers throughout the district.”

The delegation of AWOD members included both veteran trainers and novices and a wide diversity of students. “Every year our family grows and Dr. Jessen and I are just so proud and excited for these students and the district as a whole,” Ms. Biagi said. “This year we are also super happy to bring Mr. Marlo Romero, a high school science teacher into the AWOD family.”

Huntington High School’s A World of Difference club has been in existence for several decades and continues to make positive contributions to the school community, promoting unity among various groups, recognizing bias and the harm it does to individuals and society, building understanding of the value of diversity and confronting racism, bigotry and anti-Semitism.

Three current peer trainers were fifth graders many years ago with Huntington AWOD club members visited Woodhull School. “They learned then that even at that young age they can be the change they want to see in the world,” Ms. Biagi said.

The club believes that “the power of one can make a difference.” It was established many years ago and has a secure footing at the high school.

“We try to make the world a better place day by day,” states a new member recruiting pitch shared by the club. “We create great friendships in the club.”