![Adding a tray of canned corn to the pile, junior Michael Collop assists in transporting donations for the Holiday Food Drive. The event, hosted schoolwide from Dec. 10-17, raised over 5,000 food items to deliver to the Parkway Food Pantry, helping several families in need. [The drive] is a great thing for us to do because you're giving to those who are less fortunate, and it helps provide for people who can't provide for themselves. [The] competition is always fun, too. It was fun to be in [social studies teacher Jess] Chazen’s class, because he always gets worked up over [the competition]. He made it exciting, and was always convincing us to turn in cans for the drive,” Collop said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/feature-photo-unsung-2.png)
![NEW CHALLENGE, NEW TEAM MEMBERS: Every season, VEX creates a new game that robotics team members are faced with and have to build a robot to compete in. This year’s game forces students to create a robot that is able to stack rings onto mobile goals in order to score points. The change in games each season is something that robotics teacher Audrea Moyers appreciates.
“One of the things that I like about VEX is that they have a new problem to solve every year,” she said. ¨Even though the equipment’s the same, they have to analyze the game, and they have to come up with solutions that are unique that year. They are using their knowledge from prior years, but they have to kind of redesign a problem.”
As returning teams were faced a new game, some new teams and members had to adapt to a uncommon playing field and game.
“Three of our four teams were competing for the first time this year, and they had very different experiences match to match, so I think they learned a lot,¨ she said. ¨It’s hard just watching a video online to know how it’s actually going to be in person, so they all learned a lot about what gameplay is like, how to work with an alliance partner [and] how to adapt during the day to changes.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9283-1-1200x800.jpg)
Seniors Tom Blair and Rylynn Zanon have worked with TRUST Club all four years they have been in high school. Additionally, this year they have served in a cabinet position on the Special Olympics Minnesota Student Board of Directors. Being in cabinet positions, they are part of the student led group that heads the Student Board of Directors.
The two of them met when they joined TRUST Club during their freshman year where they became coaches of the Unified basketball team. They have continued to work closely with each other through TRUST Club and remained good friends.
“We’ve gotten really close… she’s a great friend of mine, and she’s way more organized so she definitely keeps me in check,” senior Tom Blair said.
They have put in a lot of effort into spreading information and awareness about TRUST Club and inclusion in the school. That is one of the most important things that they try to do.
“We’re trying to get other people to recognize and be in our club… giving everyone a chance to learn more about inclusion,” senior Rylynn Zanon said.
Both Blair and Zanon were recommended to apply for the Student Board of Directors by Paula Harrison, the head of TRUST Club. Blair said she has been a huge motivator for him and others during their high school years.
Blair and Zanon were promoted to cabinet positions through their work with the Student Board of Directors. In those positions they have worked with and led a group of their peers who share their interests. They have organized and ran many different events that promote inclusion and equality with Unified.
“There was a huge unified basketball game in Bemidji … and that was through, well, somewhat through the student board, at least we allocated with that. And then another thing we have coming up is a flag football tournament, where we’re having schools from all across the state come together,” Blair explained.
The Student Board of Directors, including Blair and Zanon, went to the state capitol on March 1. While there, they addressed government officials about inclusion and unification within an educational setting.
Blair and Zanon “had multiple government officials speaking saying that they have experienced this within a school” in response to sharing their own experiences.
Beyond their high school careers, Blair and Zanon will continue to be advocates for unification and inclusion for everyone.
“Giving them the opportunity to feel normal because they are normal is very empowering … it’s very addicting,” Blair said.
This story was originally published on The Pony Express on April 20, 2023.