The Neurodivergent Student Association’s next meeting is approaching on Oct. 6.

Neurodivergent serves as an umbrella term for how our brains work differently from what is considered neurotypical. Examples of neurodivergences include: anxiety, autism, ADHD, OCD, tourettes and depression.

Kassidy Collins works as a speech pathologist at East and has enjoyed the excitement of jumping into a new opportunity that allows students to feel welcomed.

“We want to be in a space together where there’s no judgment, where you can make friends, be with people that are similar to you and people that accept you,” Collins said.

Founder senior Cody Schafer and sponsors Collins and Katharine Young look to define the structure of the club.

“It’s very interactive. It’s one of the many reasons I founded the club,” Schafer said.

The way the club organizes its events ensures that everyone is included, with a variety of games and activities. The club is student-led, which allows for Schafer and other members to have freedom to explore any topic they want.

Katharine Young works as a speech pathologist at East and enjoys the club because of her opportunity to collaborate with new students.

“Just to kind of learn about all these different personalities, and really just come together and socialize, and have an opportunity to maybe meet with like-minded people, but they wouldn’t necessarily interact with outside of school, just because there are so many of us who have a difficulty initiating that socialization,” Young said.

After the previous sponsor left the district, Collins and Young took over the responsibility of sponsoring the club. They have focused on restructuring the club to fit their mission of providing a safe space for all.

Their meetings are hosted in room A282 at 2:30 PM. Everyone is welcome!

Written by juniors Aiden Pantojas and Jacob Taylor. Edited by staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.