Starting this Thursday, a new club at The Morgan School will be serving coffee in the upper hub, bringing students together in a whole new way. The Peer Assistant Leadership (PAL) Club, advised by special education teacher Tara Lawrie, focuses on building community and collaboration between students of all abilities and backgrounds.
The idea for the club began with senior Eli Barden, who originally brought the concept to former teacher Mrs. Estabrook. When Mrs. Lawrie stepped into her new role leading the Intensive Learning Program, she was eager to help turn the idea into a reality. Together with Mrs. Hagness, the principal here at Morgan, they officially launched the PAL Club at the start of this year.
Barden initially started by eating lunch in the intensive learning classroom, alongside the students, while also playing board games, and just helping around the room. “I wanted to make them [the students] feel less isolated and included.” Barden said, who hopes to pursue a degree in Early Childhood education alongside a Special Education degree.
As founder of the PAL club, she works alongside Mrs. Lawrie to run meetings, create ways to advertise the club, and organizing unified sports. She hopes to involve students in the intensive learning program with the community of Clinton, making everyone feel accepted, regardless of their position in school.
“The idea for PAL is to find ways to get all the different programs, special education, general education, and others, to come together and make this a collaborative and inclusive environment,” Mrs. Lawrie explained. “It’s really about creating opportunities for students to connect and learn from one another.”
The PAL Club already has several exciting projects in the works, including a coffee cart, a school store, and a Cooking Around the World series. Each activity is designed to promote teamwork, responsibility, and cultural understanding.
The coffee cart will involve students in every step of the process, taking inventory, handling money, and preparing items for sale, with hopes of partnering with local businesses for donations. The school store, which will run during lunch waves, will also offer students a hands-on experience managing operations and working together across programs.
Perhaps one of the most creative initiatives is Cooking Around the World, where students will learn about different cultures each month, explore traditional recipes, and prepare meals to share family-style in the classroom.
The club also plans to collaborate with Unified Sports, encouraging students to participate in inclusive athletic activities both during school hours and at events in the community.
“It’s really important for young adults to get experience working with people from all different backgrounds and abilities,” Lawrie said. “You learn how to be part of a team, how to problem-solve, and how to appreciate everyone’s strengths.”
To make sure all students can get involved, the PAL Club offers flexible meeting times and varying levels of commitment. Meetings take place occasionally, before or after school. Students can participate weekly, monthly, or even just for specific events.
“I want people to know that this can be as big or as small of a commitment as you need it to be,” Mrs. Lawrie emphasized. “The goal is simply to give everyone a chance to be part of something positive.”
Lena Flaherty, a member of the new club, says “I’m excited to participate in the PAL club this year, in the past years the intensive learning program hasn’t gotten the recognition it deserves. I’m excited to promote it more from now on.”
The PAL Club is open to all Morgan students, and those interested can email Mrs. Lawrie at [email protected] or stop by her classroom to learn more. Flyers and posts on the school’s Instagram page will also help spread the word.
As the club continues to grow, Lawrie hopes to collaborate with other groups, including Culinary Arts Classes, FCCLA, Spirit Squad, etc. to expand its projects and create even more inclusive experiences for students.
“This is really about connection,” Lawrie said. “When students from different backgrounds come together and work on something meaningful, it makes our whole school community stronger.”
With the creativity, collaboration, and compassion, of students at Morgan, the PAL Club is already making a difference, and it’s just getting started.
