Group promotes togetherness and individuality

Invitations+for+ROAR+will+go+out+Monday.+The+club+promotes+togetherness%2C+individuality%2C+and+acceptance.

Photo by Emily Wissemes

Invitations for ROAR will go out Monday. The club promotes togetherness, individuality, and acceptance.

By Emily Wissemes, Editor in Chief

Everyone is different. Everyone goes through hard times throughout high school. It happens to everyone. You are not alone.

ROAR breaks down the walls and cliques at school, according to ROAR adviser Jennifer Culbertson said.

“It is a wonderful in-school field trip opportunity that allows them to come and see that there are people just like them, facing the same struggles, going through the same challenges, and finding out that they are not alone,” Culbertson said.

ROAR invitations will be sent out Monday. Two hundred students are randomly selected through Power School and they then have the opportunity to accept or decline the invitation, according to Culbertson.

“Those students will be given the opportunity to participate and then we have a wait list for those who have been previously invited, realize what it is, and then say ‘I really want to go’,” Culbertson said.

If students do not get an invitation, they can add their name to the wait list. Any invitations from the wait list will be sent out the week before Thanksgiving.

Three separate events take place throughout the year; one in December, February, and April.

“The first part of the day is getting to know each other and getting rid of all the negativity. And then we move into small group work where we talk and discuss what they have learned. Then we have free food. After that, we do more activities to break down barriers,” Culbertson said.

Some changes have been made for the ROAR sessions, but Culbertson did not specify as she would like to keep it a surprise for participants.

“We’re learning every year and technology is changing. We want to get more relatable to students,” Culbertson said.

ROAR is expecting at least 100 to 150 students at each event.