by Ruby K. '26

During lunch on Wednesday, March 25, Lick-Wilmerding High School’s courtyard buzzed as community members took part in the Learning Strategies Center’s (LSC) fourth annual Neurodiversity Fair.

The fair—complete with booths, activities, baked goods, and music—is one of three core community-building events organized by the LSC each school year. Open to students, faculty, and staff of all neurological backgrounds, the fair aims to raise awareness of the neurodiverse experience and educate community members about the importance of understanding their brains.

Months before the event, LSC Director Winifred Montgomery and LSC Coordinator Jaski Kohli gathered the LSC intern team to begin planning. The intern team is comprised of over fifteen juniors and seniors who have built strong relationships with the LSC during their time at LWHS.

According to data from this current school year, about 25% of the LWHS student body is eligible for accommodations. Including students with no diagnoses but who work with the LSC on some level, that figure rises to 40.5%.

Despite these numbers, the fair planning team wanted the event to be accessible to everyone, regardless of learning profile, and to further reduce the stigma surrounding neurodiversity in educational spaces.

With this goal in mind, interns collaborated in the weeks leading up to the event to design and execute booths that would engage participants from all backgrounds.

“These events create opportunities for students to connect with one another, build confidence, and feel a sense of belonging. They also help break down stigmas around needing support by showing that the LSC is not just a place for testing, but a welcoming community,” Savion S-P. ’26 said. 

On the day of the fair, LSC interns—sporting tie-dye shirts that read “Team LSC” on the back— demonstrated how individuals process information differently through a range of activities, including ADHD and dyslexia simulators, along with fidget-making stations and games like Jeopardy. Additionally, in keeping with LWHS’ mission of public purpose, the fair featured a bake sale in support of the San Francisco Autism Society.

Following the event, LSC interns reflected on the engagement of fair participants—many of whom shared a new understanding of and respect for neurodiverse individuals.

“It was cool to see people who aren’t members of the LSC interact with the fair and be curious about what it means to be neurodiverse…I can tell the work we do as interns has a real impact,” LSC intern Sadie B. ’27 said.

Similar sentiments were shared by LSC leadership. “Ms. Montgomery and I received so many compliments, and it was especially meaningful to see the smiles and ‘aha’ moments from those who attended,” Kohli said in an email to interns following the event.

Later this spring, the LSC team will continue to raise awareness and provide education at the annual Neurodiversity Night on Wednesday, May 6, which is open to neurodiverse students and their families.

As Sadie said, “Events like the fair and Neurodiversity Night always remind me of how powerful the LSC community is and the impact we have on students.”