For a long time, special needs has been a rather taboo subject that people are often afraid to talk about. That’s exactly why Manhattan High’s Interpersonal Skills class is so important to senior Charlie Harris. Since joining the class, Harris says she has made great friends as well as figured out what she plans to do after high school.

“At the beginning of the year I thought I wanted to go to school to be a physical therapist,” Harris said. “But throughout the year I realized after being in this class that I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to help kids with special needs or just needs in general so I decided that I want to be a social worker.”

Harris’s positive outlook on IPS is apparent to not only the students but also teachers. IPS teacher Barbara Crooks sees this every day.

“She does great, she has a lot of enthusiasm,” Crooks said. “She’s always engaged with the students and the activities and she really encourages them.” Crooks also commented on Harris’s aspirations to be a social worker. “She has a lot of compassion, she will make a great social worker.”

Aside from helping her plan her future, Harris says IPS has helped her educate herself and others on the prejudice special needs people face.

“IPS is important because a lot of people don’t understand special needs people. Until this year I didn’t really understand that there were more than just two or three different disabilities that people could have,” Harris said. “I thought it was just like Down syndrome and palsy, but there are so many more than that. It’s not as taboo as people like to think it is. Until this year I was scared to talk about disabilities.”

Through educating herself, Harris also says that IPS has helped her make some amazing friends, and has become her safe place.

“IPS is awesome. It’s designed to help the mentees, but it really does help the mentors too,” Harris said. “I can go in there and be in the worst mood and come out feeling great because there is so much to feel good about in there. You’re around a bunch of friends, and it is really an amazing experience.”