Friends for Change—Making a Difference

Our daughters, Panna and Julie, are starting a Friends for Change Club at Cunha Middle School. They would like to spread the word to get more students involved in the Club. This blog will also report on their progress and experiences within the Club. Below is an introduction to what the Club is all about in Panna's own words. — Betsy Warren (Panna's mom) and Leslie Conaghan (Julie's mom)

"My name is Panna Warren, I am 11 years old. I attend Cunha Intermediate School. My friend Julie Raffetto and I decided to start the Friends for Change Club at Cunha because we participated in one at our other school, El Granada Elementary. Our Friends For Change Club is about helping people with disabilities. 

Our fifth grade teacher Mrs. McMahon encouraged us to start it at El Granada. lt worked out really well. Once we got to know the kids and their stories, we really enjoyed our time with them.

We think middle school is hard for healthy people like you and I, but how would it feel if you had a disability and no one hangs out with you because they do not understand you?

We decided to speak with the Special Ed teacher Mr. Lynes at Cunha to see how we could start socializing with his students. He thought it was a great idea, and the kids would be really looking forward to it. He encouraged us to start the club.

It will be during the school day. Once a week, we will take turns having lunch with the kids. Over time, we hope it will include spirit activities.

We are looking for students, boys and girls, to join Friends for Change. Please, if you go to Cunha join this club by contacting Mr. Lynes. We will be putting up posters soon. Hope you can join us and make a difference in someone else’s life. We will be writing stories on our blog about the students and our experiences."