Holyoke students 'Spread the Word'

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - Students at Holyoke High School along with Special Olympics are doing their part to raise awareness regarding a hurtful word.

"Spread the Word to End the Word" is a national effort to raise the consciousness of the word "retarded."

Today, Holyoke High students held a rally to pledge their support and stop the offensive use of the "R-word" in casual conversation.

Alyssa Neil a senior at Holyoke High School commented about the use of the "R-word": "It can be really hurtful, especially to me and most of my friends who are downstairs who have intellectual disabilities or verbal disabilities and they can't fend for themselves."

Alyssa's sister Courtney Neil a junior at Holyoke High School says the word is hurtful:

"Whenever I hear the word it kind of makes me cringe cause I'm not a fan of the word and it kind of like warms my heart to see how much everyone here at Holyoke High supports it."

The goal is to get 100-thousand online pledges to stop the use of the word.

For information about this cause link to www.r-word.org