Students, families urge board to restore Creating Exceptional Character peer class

Kenston High School students addressed the Kenston Local Schools Board of Education on March 18, asking the board to reverse a decision that removes the Creating Exceptional Character (CEC) peer-integration class from next year’s program of studies.

Students said CEC paired general‑education peers with students in special education to provide social and academic interaction that, they said, the targeted students otherwise lack. Emily Hunt, a senior at Kenston High School, told the board removing CEC “is something that I frankly think is so detrimental to all of our students.”

The speakers said CEC offered regular‑education students chances to build one‑on‑one relationships with special education peers through classroom support and social activities, and that losing the course would increase isolation for students who already attend mostly within the special‑education program. “When I found out it was going away, my first initial reaction was how much people like me were gonna hurt,” Hunt said, arguing the class also benefits general‑education students by expanding their understanding of peers who learn differently.

Three student leaders—Kate Tobin (class of 2027, who identified herself as class secretary), Shannon Feldman (a CEC student), and Devin (vice president of the class of 2026)—described their experiences in CEC. “The most important part of that connection was how I was seen eye to eye with the student. I was seen as a peer rather than an aide,” Devin said, describing the program’s goal of mutual engagement rather than supervisory support.

Board members and administrators acknowledged the students’ testimony and said staff would follow up with more details. Superintendent Dr. Willingham told the students he and high‑school administrators would review scheduling and program‑design constraints. He said there are staffing and scheduling factors that contributed to the change and promised to provide an update; he later told the students, “There are a few more things into it than just staffing numbers. I will update you on some of those things.”

Nut graf: Students and family members framed CEC as a bridge between special‑education and general‑education students that promotes social inclusion and academic engagement; they urged the board to weigh that educational value when administrators finalize staffing and schedules for next year.

In the discussion that followed public comment, board members and the superintendent said they have had preliminary conversations about alternatives—such as reinstituting a peer‑buddy program or supporting CEC as a club rather than a credit course—if scheduling or staffing numbers prevent keeping CEC as a credited class. Dr. Willingham said administrators would explore options and provide a follow‑up to the students and the board.

Ending: Board members thanked the students for speaking and said the administration would reach back out to them with more information about options and next steps. The board did not take an immediate administrative vote to reinstate CEC during the meeting.