18 December 2019

It’s not easy to design a mascot to promote inclusion, but it was a breeze for Evan from Annunciation School, Brooklyn.

Friend in Me, an organisation which creates all-inclusive events to promote wellbeing, was looking for students to design a mascot. Evan’s superhero-inspired character design was one of two mascots chosen by the organisation.

Evan, the school captain at Annunciation, was the centre of attention as the new mascot went from the page to a real-life appearance at the school. ‘I can see how Friend in Me can make children feel included and give them a sense of belonging’, he said. ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could live in a world where we all included one another, from children to adults and the elderly?’

The Friend in Me organisation brings together children of all ages, nationalities and abilities to dance, play, sing, create and, most importantly, make lifelong friends and memories they will cherish forever.

For Evan, being inclusive is a way of life. ‘My personal pledge is and always has been to include others’, he said, ‘even if it’s a simple hello’.