The Black and White

by Kaylie Martell

Tuesday,  March 3, kicked off Pilgrim High School’s Unified Spirit Week, as students and faculty came together to celebrate what it means to be a supportive and inclusive community. Unified Spirit Week is a districtwide effort across Warwick schools that encourages students and teachers to promote acceptance and ensure that everyone feels valued and included. Events like these bring students with and without disabilities together, promoting awareness, respect, and inclusion throughout the school community. 

Originally, promotion for the week was supposed to take place from February 23 to February 27. However, when Rhode Island got blasted with the Blizzard of ‘26, schools were forced to close for the week, creating an unexpected setback. As a result, students were first introduced to the themes on Monday, March 2, pushing back the official start of the week.

Monday’s original theme was “Hats off to Inclusion”, which allowed students and staff to wear any type of hat, was moved to Tuesday. Due to this shift, Tuesday featured two themes. In addition to “Hats off to Inclusion”, Tuesday also represented a “Be Unique” Day. This meant students could express themselves however they wanted, as long as they stood out! Many students showed their individuality by wearing bright colors, tie-dye clothing, or unique socks! Wednesday’s theme was “Warwick Schools Pride to Pledge”, where faculty and students wore any Unified Club apparel or other Warwick gear. On Thursday, the theme was “Be a Part of a Team”, where students and teachers were asked to represent their favorite sports teams. The spirit week ended with Friday’s theme of “Pajama Day”, where the halls of Pilgrim were full of comfortable sleepwear.

According to Mr. Magee, Pilgrim High School’s Unified Club advisor and Special Olympics Unified liaison, Unified Spirit Week plays an important role in building a stronger school community. He explained that regardless of the challenges or disabilities some students may face, the ultimate goal is to ensure everyone feels like an equal part of the school community. The Unified program adopts the motto “We Choose to Include”, which emphasizes that every student deserves to be seen, heard, and given the same opportunities to participate in the same high school experience. 

For the future years, Mr. Magee hopes participation will grow. Due to the blizzard and the shortened promotion period, many students were left unknowledgeable and less aware of the event than during previous years. Nonetheless, he still believes the Pilgrim community has remained highly supportive of the Unified Club and its mission. “I just think the Pilgrim community has been very supportive of the unified club… I’d love to see it grow and be more active and make sure students with disabilities aren’t marginalized or looked down upon.”