Diversity Generates a Good IDEA
By Jenni McGowan and Ashley DelisiOn the last Wednesday of every month, sometimes even more, 36 Marian students come together for the purpose of expanding diversity horizons and spreading cultural awareness among the Marian Community. Led by counselor Ms. Kathy Janata, the club for Increasing Diversity and Equality Among Students (IDEAS) is a group of diverse young women who want to share their ideas and cultural knowledge with the Marian Community.
The group meetings consist of generating and organizing ideas to present to Marian in the form of special blocks. By setting up the posters in the Quad, IDEAS also reaches out to students by making us aware of the achievements of African-American females and having students participate in trivia games. This year, the IDEAS group brought the singers from Glad Tidings church for a prayer service, and two years ago, The South African Drakensburg Boys Choir and the African Dancers. "It [The Glad Tidings prayer service] made me see God in a whole new light. It gave me a new perspective on worship," said freshman Mary Huerter.
A main focus of the IDEAS group is to make students more aware of and comfortable with other cultures surrounding us. "I want kids to go to college and be comfortable with the customs and beliefs of those around them. They have to learn to expand their comfort level. You don't know what ice cream tastes like until you taste it," said Ms. Janata.
The members of IDEAS want to provide the knowledge and experiences to further understand the need for all people to live and work together as one human race. They want to increase sensitivity and avoid passing judgement.
According to the IDEAS group, there are many levels of diversity. Level A is awareness of diversity. Level B is celebrating Black History and providing activities for the students to learn about it. The posters in the Quad and the trivia games heighten the studentsU knowledge of Black History. Level C is "Crunch Time." In this level, the groupUs main focus is making a difference to the students through making everyone feel welcome and glad to be a part of Marian. Level D is making a commitment to interaction which involves stretching peopleUs comfort levels. For example, the prayer service with the members of Glad Tidings. Together, these levels pull the IDEAS group into committing themselves to changing the outlook on diversity and interesting Marian students in it.
Anyone can be a member of IDEAS. "It's not just a group for minorities. The mission is something that should apply to all kids," Ms. Janata said.
IDEAS gives students the opportunity to learn more about other cultures, as well as their own. "We get to plan a lot of fun things for our school that help increase the awareness of different cultures and make people more comfortable with them," said junior Amy Weaver who has been a member for three years.
IDEAS has been around for years and will continue to increase awareness of diversity as long as it can. Coming up, IDEAS has Diversity Day April 14.
Brainstorming for new RIDEASS are Ms. Kathy Janata, Tiffany Cross, Johanna DelMundo, and Tiana Cole. IDEAS meets Wednesdays in the math tutor room.
Photo by Jenni McGowan.