Nestled to the right of Door M, a unique program is often overlooked by Lane’s thousands of students who walk in its doors each day.

The Lane Tech Diverse Learner Cluster Program, consisting of students with different scales of disabilities, makes up a small part of the huge school. The program has an emphasis on “social, communication, sensory, vocational, and academic skills,” according to their website, and the programs services offer students the opportunity to “learn and practice daily living skills in a model home setting.”

The program’s students differ in their levels of communication. Some students can speak clearly, while others are nonverbal and use Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) books, which are photo albums where students can find a picture or string of words they are trying to communicate. Students also use tablets for these purposes. Going from classroom to classroom, one can see different students using their own unique methods of communication.

This year, the majority of the students in the Cluster Program attended the Sept. 23 Homecoming Pep Rally. Cluster program students were closer to the action than anyone, as they sat along the track.

Mr. Katriadakis, one of the programs teachers who attended the pep rally with his students, said, “The kids showed a great deal of enthusiasm — they were dancing, they were singing along as the groups were filing by along the track. I thought it was beautiful to watch. They seemed to have a really good time.”

This year, multiple students from the Cluster Program also attended the homecoming dance the night after the homecoming game. Faithful dance attendee sophomore Kyrojon Fallen showed off his moves in the dance circles. He said he goes to all the dances, and loves the crowd’s ecstatic reactions to his moves.

“Now the crowd wants me to dance more, and I did,” he said. “Their reaction was ecstatic, it was fun. I do the dab, the wip, all of that.”

The students also participated in spirit week, and were very excited to show off their new looks to their classmates. Sophomore Elliot Murphy had a fun time enjoying the school’s traditions and excitement.

“Wednesday was sports day, and I wore all my Bears, I wore a Blackhawks shirt and then on Thursday was classy Thursday, I dressed up,” Murphy said. “I got a vest, a white shirt, a classy shirt and everything.”  

Although the students are separated from the school in their program, they enjoy interacting with students not in their cluster group as well. Many of the program’s students participate in Adaptive PE, art and robotics. In these classes, students in the Cluster Program are assigned to a buddy not in the Cluster Program, where they can learn and build friendships together.

These classes provide an accepting community for their students. “They love me, they love my jokes, they love my tricks, they love my laugh,” Murphy said of his friends.

The students who assist the Cluster Program feel they have learned a lot from their experiences as well. Junior Cooper Hamilton, Div. 852, said the students have brought her much joy and happiness.

“They have taught me so much.” she said. “They teach you that no matter what troubles you have in your life you can get through them and do the impossible. They’ve given me insight on how to be a patient, respectful, and an all around better person.”    

The programs students have made an impact on everyone involved. Cluster Program students can feel more included and accepted in the school through events like Pep Rally, and the Homecoming Dance.

“These are some of the most remarkable kids I’ve ever met,” Hamilton said of the students. “I am so blessed to be working with them.”