Oak Park High School peer counselors will present a weeklong program on tolerance for students and parents next week.

Acceptance Week 2010 will be conducted Dec. 6 through 10, said Debi Fries, a counselor at the school.

At the Nov. 16 Oak Park Unified School District Board of Education meeting, Fries and several students in the peer counseling program described the week’s planned events. The peer counseling program provides support services for students from students, usually upperclassmen.

Student Samantha Galvan, cochair of the event, said that Acceptance Week will help students gain sensitivity toward classmates who may be different from them.

Monday’s activities will include classroom presentations by peer counselors. Two members of the peer counseling program will visit classrooms to discuss issues that have led to recent tragedies, including student suicides.

One student in each third period class will abide by a “Day of Silence” to highlight oppression and intolerance. During lunch, a debate will be conducted by JSA club members. Students will be encouraged to voice their opinions, said peer counselor Drew Gregory.

Tuesday’s activities will include an ability awareness activity during lunch. Samantha said that the interactive program will demonstrate to students what it’s like to live with a disability, including blindness and “hidden disabilities” such as attention deficit disorder.

At an assembly on Tuesday Brian Bushway will talk about learning to adapt to change. Fries said that Bushway will share his experiences as a “blind man seeing beyond sight.”

Parents will have a chance to participate in Acceptance Week on Tuesday evening. A video on bullying will be shown to parents and other members of the community at 6 p.m. Dec. 7 in the pavilion, followed by a group discussion.

On Dec. 8, students who fell silent on Monday will reveal why their lips were sealed. They will share personal stories of oppression and discrimination.

Peer counselors will host a Great Lawn-Agree/Disagree activity for students during lunch on Wednesday. Students will have the opportunity to explore their attitudes on bias, acceptance issues and other topics, Fries said.

Members of GLIDE (Gays and Lesbians Initiating Dialogue for Equality) will lead a student discussion on homophobia during seventh period on Wednesday.

Art and writing contest awards will be announced on Thursday. Artwork will be on display in the pavilion. Students will have the chance to view the video on bullying during seventh period. A therapist will be available to talk to students about their personal experiences with bullying.

Acceptance Week will conclude with presentations from the silenced students and discussions on how students can stop oppression, bullying and other detrimental behavior. Selected teachers will talk about something that they are “inspired by” rather than “silenced by,” Fries said.

A “march for acceptance” will take place during lunch on the final day. After the march, students will be encouraged to pledge to advocate for acceptance by plac- ing their handprint on a large canvas.

“These students are putting tremendous effort in a weeklong event, but they want to sustain it,” Fries said. She added that there is a national outcry against bullying and homophobia, which has led to many teen suicides.

“We want students to know they’re in a safe place.”