Originally published on Everything Lubbock – April 14th, 2023
LUBBOCK, Texas — Dozens of students from Texas Online Preparatory School got to step away from their computers and get some real-world interaction.
More than twenty percent of TOPS’s students have some type of disability. Seventh-grade History teacher Morgan Water was all smiles because she got to see some of her students for the first time.
“It’s hard in the online world for them to get to know each other, it’s hard for us teachers to get to know them,” Water said. “It’s always exciting when we get to come together. No matter where we are whether it’s a park or an ice cream shop to get to know each other and see each other in person.”
Waters says this meet-up was in honor of the research and projects they completed for National Disability Awareness Month.
“Our students have spent all month-long learning about different disabilities. So, we thought it was fitting to come here to a local ice cream shop that employs people with disabilities,” Waters said.
Fifth-grade student Payton Harmon says he has been looking forward to this day.
“I’m always on the computer and I mean I just meet them online and just talk so we can’t really hang out,” Harmon said.
“We think it’s very important that students get out and be confident in who they are and see that people are in the real world still working with and through their disabilities,” Waters said.
To learn more about Texas Online Preparatory School, visit https://tops.k12.com/.
