By: Jake Skabo, Kaeden Krieg and Jenna Decker, 11th grade students at DHS
In March, the Peer to Peer class from Dickinson High School got an experience of a lifetime to fly to Minnesota. In Minneapolis, the students got to experience many fulfilling opportunities, such as an NBA game, a waterpark, TopGolf, and the Mall Of America. This trip was filled with many smiles and laughs, and the bonds that were formed between the students will last a lifetime. From watching the Timberwolves warm up to staying up till 2 AM, the students didn't want this trip to end so soon. As we got on the flight back home, we reminisced about all the opportunities we experienced, relived the talent show that displayed the closeness that came with this class throughout the trip, and felt a sense of pride from the hard work of fundraising.
Many nights throughout the fall and winter were spent at Dickinson High School games raffling tickets for our goal of $40,000. We held a silent auction, a Pizza Ranch fundraiser and reached out to many businesses who generously donated. We wouldn't have been able to make this trip if it weren't for all the businesses throughout the community that donated or the dedication of our students who always showed up, whether it was after a long late-night practice, family events, or after many hours of planning.
Yes, this trip was super-stressful to plan, but it brought awareness to the community of who we were and why this trip was important. Businesses were amazed by this program and to hear that this trip wasn't just for fun but for a learning experience. Many students with or without disabilities haven't or won't get to experience a trip of this magnitude which was a critical goal for this class. We got to display our mission throughout the community of spreading inclusion with our motto, "Person Over Label."