Making history. Taunton inducts first student with a disability into National Honor Society

TAUNTON - Learning has never been easy for Taunton High School senior Madelyn Tokarz but the challenges never stopped her from reaching her goals.

Tokarz was recently inducted into the National Honor Society, an achievement recognized by the Taunton special education department as "making history."

"I am incredibly proud to celebrate a significant milestone. One of our exceptional students has made history by becoming the first student with a disability to be inducted into the National Honor Society," Amy Moynihan, Taunton director of special education noted in the school newsletter. "This achievement is a testament to their perseverance and academic prowess, and it underscores our commitment to supporting all students on their journey to success."

According to Madelyn's mother Kim, she was diagnosed at the age of three with a developmental delay, intellectual delay, developmental language disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

“There is no particular name for those conditions,” Kim Tokarz said, adding that her developmental delay includes “slower than normal development of motor, cognitive, social and emotional skills.”

Madelyn has benefitted from extensive occupational, speech and physical therapy services throughout the years.

Madelyn had “certain limitations in cognitive (mental process) functioning, conceptual skills, social and practical skills such as language, social and self-care skills,” Kim Tokarz said, adding that her language disorder interferes with learning, understanding, and using language.

Madelyn receives accommodations in the classroom to assist with her learning, systems that her mother says have contributed to her success.

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“Madelyn has always received mostly A’s, B’s with the occasional C,” Kim Tokarz said. “She is given accommodations to help her navigate her disabilities to accomplish these grades. We as a family also help her at home with projects and any other work she may need extra help with.”

Friends in school also help Madelyn.

She plays the trumpet in the Taunton High School band, and Kim Tokarz said, her friends “write letters under her music notes so she can play” the correct notes during performances.

Special Education Coordinator Kim Moreton said Madelyn, “has an intrinsic motivation to achieve.”

“The school district is extremely proud of Madelyn for being inducted into the National Honor Society. It's a true testament to Madelyn's hard work, determination, and dedication toward her academic success,” Moreton said. “In addition to her drive to succeed academically, her commitment to serving her community sets her apart from her peers.”

Special education science teacher Elisabeth Comerford added that Madelyn “advocates for her learning needs” when facing academic challenges.

Meeting National Honor Society academic requirements

Taunton High culinary teacher Sarah Gibson said Madelyn qualified for the National Honor Society membership by earning A and B grades.

National Honor Society membership qualifications require a student to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or a grade B average in most subjects.

“I got As and Bs in different subjects,” Madelyn said. “I would always pass biology and get a B in it.”

Madelyn said her favorite subject is a music department band course, and she enjoys playing trumpet in the school’s band.

“Sometimes I struggle in the band, but I work on it to improve,” she said.

Madelyn joined the band on a trip to Walt Disney World in April, where they performed at the Disney Springs Resort.

Helping others as a team captain

To meet the NHS community service requirement, Madelyn served as a team captain on Taunton High School's unified basketball and track teams during 2022-2023, and as co-captain of the Taunton Thunderducks basketball team, which is affiliated with the Massachusetts Special Olympics.

Madelyn said her teams succeeded because “we worked hard and practiced.”

“We just kept getting better and better,” Madelyn said.

Moynihan said unified sports teams join students with and without disabilities on the same team.

“Madelyn had to demonstrate leadership skills, and she did that by participating in a unified sport,” Moynihan said.

Comerford said Madelyn helped her basketball and track teammates struggling to play effectively improve their skills.

“Unified sports is a great opportunity to build leadership skills,” Comerford said.

Cosgrove said Madelyn encouraged teammates who were struggling to play well.

“She would help them to be positive and not to get upset or down when they were struggling,” Cosgrove said. “She coaches them with how to shoot a basketball and things like that.”

The future

Madelyn just started her senior year at Taunton High School. She is also looking into colleges for next year.

Madelyn said she would like a future career that involves “helping others.”

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton High special education student earns national honor society