Most Holy Redeemer 'Raiders Plus Day' Offers Lessons In Inclusion

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — Middle school students hosted and participated in an intramural basketball tournament designed to raise awareness and funds for students with special needs during Most Holy Redeemer Student Leaders Week.

Last Thursday, Most Holy Redeemer in Evergreen Park hosted “Raiders Plus Day,” where students with special needs who cannot regularly attend Most Holy Redeemer were invited to be “Raiders Plus Day.” These “Raiders for a Day” were siblings of current students or the children of teachers.

Eighth-grader Abby Busk, who attends Central Middle School, joined her twin sister Maddie. Katy is the daughter of MHR physical education teacher Tom McCann, and Elim student Nolan O'Malley shadowed his twin sister, Grace.

The new Raiders toured the school, visited classrooms, sat in on lessons, prayed, ate lunch, played at recess, and most importantly, had a great deal of fun. The day concluded with the intramural basketball championship in the school’s gymnasium

Students with siblings enrolled at MHR helped show the newest Raiders around and share opportunities, so they would feel right at home. Parents were also involved to talk about their children and their needs with students, helping to educate the entire school community.

Critical to the school’s catholic identity, MHR Raiders Plus Day was a lesson for all students on the importance of inclusion. The students of MHR look forward to this being an annual event to celebrate our differences. Most Holy Redeemer is so proud of its newest Raiders–and extends the invitation for these students to return because it’s often said that “once a Raider, always a Raider.”

Most Holy Redeemer students also raised $500 for Elim School in Crestwood, and the Cornelia de Lange Foundation, a rare genetic birth defect that causes children to develop slowly, both mentally and physically.