Press release - Trick-or-treat for all: TFS supports student’s Treat Accessibly initiative
TFS is proud to support Treat Accessibly, a movement started by one of its students, that helps to make Halloween trick-or-treating more accessible and inclusive, no matter a child's ability or disability.
Trick or treating is a childhood tradition that every child should be able to participate in. When in 2017 then six-year-old TFS student Siena Padulo realized that one of her young neighbours could not celebrate Halloween the same way she could, because a disability made it too challenging for him, she felt that it was time to look at removing or finding ways around barriers, some as simple as a few steps, so that trick-or-treating would be accessible and inclusive for all.
Today, TFS is proud to join a growing number of public and private organizations in supporting Sienna’s family’s Treat Accessibly initiative, a movement that can potentially benefit 400,000 children in Canada identified as having a disability that may prevent them from trick-or-treating.
TFS is encouraging its community to join the movement by taking the following steps as they get ready for Halloween:
· Create a trick-or-treating station at the end of your driveway.
· Make sure the path to your trick-or-treating area is well lit and clear of any hazards.
· Refrain from using strobe lights and high-pitched, sudden loud noises.
· Ensure pets are kept safely away from the front of your house.
· Download a free accessible trick-or-treating sign to place in your window.
As the first independent school to join Treat Accessibly, TFS will encourage its students, through the student-led TFS community outreach council, to create momentum at the school related to the initiative.
It will also raise awareness among them on inclusivity through presentations and conversations in partnership with the Rick Hansen Foundation, which envisions an inclusive world where people with disabilities are living to their full potential. For her work in creating awareness for accessible inclusion through Treat Accessibly, Sienna won the Foundation’s Difference Maker Award in Ontario.
“At TFS, our mission is to develop our students not only as ambitious learners, but also as individuals and citizens. When I see Siena’s commitment to the Treat Accessibly project she initiated, and how she’s passionate about bringing awareness of inclusivity to the school, it makes me feel that we are accomplishing our mission. We could not be prouder of Sienna and the way she is making positive changes to Halloween.”
– Davy Marques, Principal of the West Campus, TFS
"Our family started Treat Accessibly to help one child safely trick-or-treat at our home. By 2020, nearly 40,000 homes had a Treat Accessibly Halloween and, this year, we hope to see that number increase across Canada. I want to extend my appreciation to TFS for its longstanding support, first of my daughter Siena, for encouraging her in developing her sense of engagement and citizenship, and for their commitment to helping us expand this movement.”
– Rich Padulo, Founder, Treat Accessibly
See the press release for more information.
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Today, TFS is proud to join a growing number of public and private organizations in supporting Sienna’s family’s Treat Accessibly initiative, a movement that can potentially benefit 400,000 children in Canada identified as having a disability that may prevent them from trick-or-treating.
TFS is encouraging its community to join the movement by taking the following steps as they get ready for Halloween:
· Create a trick-or-treating station at the end of your driveway.
· Make sure the path to your trick-or-treating area is well lit and clear of any hazards.
· Refrain from using strobe lights and high-pitched, sudden loud noises.
· Ensure pets are kept safely away from the front of your house.
· Download a free accessible trick-or-treating sign to place in your window.
As the first independent school to join Treat Accessibly, TFS will encourage its students, through the student-led TFS community outreach council, to create momentum at the school related to the initiative.
It will also raise awareness among them on inclusivity through presentations and conversations in partnership with the Rick Hansen Foundation, which envisions an inclusive world where people with disabilities are living to their full potential. For her work in creating awareness for accessible inclusion through Treat Accessibly, Sienna won the Foundation’s Difference Maker Award in Ontario.
“At TFS, our mission is to develop our students not only as ambitious learners, but also as individuals and citizens. When I see Siena’s commitment to the Treat Accessibly project she initiated, and how she’s passionate about bringing awareness of inclusivity to the school, it makes me feel that we are accomplishing our mission. We could not be prouder of Sienna and the way she is making positive changes to Halloween.”
– Davy Marques, Principal of the West Campus, TFS
"Our family started Treat Accessibly to help one child safely trick-or-treat at our home. By 2020, nearly 40,000 homes had a Treat Accessibly Halloween and, this year, we hope to see that number increase across Canada. I want to extend my appreciation to TFS for its longstanding support, first of my daughter Siena, for encouraging her in developing her sense of engagement and citizenship, and for their commitment to helping us expand this movement.”
– Rich Padulo, Founder, Treat Accessibly
See the press release for more information.
