MANDAN, ND (KFYR) – Halloween is a time for people to express themselves and get creative.

Mandan’s Peer to Peer Group said this Halloween it’s raising awareness to be respectful of people of all abilities.

Junior Abby Landeis said before she joined Peer to Peer, she wasn’t familiar with some of the barriers people face when it’s time to Trick or Treat.

With lessons like these, she takes notes to spread to others.

“It’s really about making sure you’re able to adapt to everyone’s needs. I mean, there’s so much we’re not aware of. So use your situational awareness and if you see a way you can help someone out trick or treating, or even if they’re just looking for a costume, or maybe their age is a little different, make sure you’re kind about it this,” Landeis said.

She said Halloween can be sensory overload, so Peer to Peer educates students on a few topics.

Some are wheelchair accessibility, food allergies, different forms of communication and awareness that not all disabilities are visible.

“But being in the club has really helped me, like wheelchair accessibility, different LD, ED, all kinds of different needs that people have. The club helped me see them and make sure I learned ways to adapt to them,” Landeis said.

She said they’ve seen the community become more understanding of people of all abilities.

“I do a lot with Special Olympics and I’ve noticed a bigger population of fans and things like that participating now that maybe weren’t in the past, I think it’s just awareness,” Kelli Frederick said. , special education strategist.

She said more awareness education has led to more inclusion.

“Inclusion, for me, for Halloween means a lot of things, just being respectful to everybody, being willing to accept,” said Logan Seefeldt, a senior.

He said they posted on Instagram to let people know some simple reminders.

Peer to Peer coordinators said the club’s enrollment has doubled in the past two years and the school has really rallied around inclusion.

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