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Show Notes
About the Guest(s)
Arielle Hobbs is the founder of The Lion League, a nonprofit organization that focuses on promoting inclusion in schools. She is a passionate advocate for inclusive education and has dedicated her work to creating a curriculum that teaches students how to be more inclusive with their disabled peers. Arielle is a thinker and writer who found her purpose when she had to fight for her son’s right to equal opportunities. Through The Lion League, she aims to change the way schools approach inclusion and create a more accepting and understanding environment for all students.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Think Inclusive Podcast, Tim Villegas interviews Arielle Hobbs, the founder of The Lion League. They discuss the importance of inclusion in schools and how The Lion League is working to create a more inclusive environment for students with disabilities. Arielle shares her personal experience of fighting for her son’s rights and how it led her to start The Lion League. She explains the unique approach of the organization, which focuses on teaching students about inclusion and disability to foster natural friendships and understanding. Arielle also discusses the different ways schools can implement The Lion League’s curriculum and the impact it can have on students.
Read the transcript (auto-generated and edited with the help from AI for readability)
Arielle Hobbs
This is Arielle, and you are listening to the Think Inclusive Podcast.
Tim Villegas
Recording from my office in beautiful Marietta, Georgia. You are listening to the Think Inclusive Podcast, Episode 15. Today we have Arielle Hobbs, founder of The Lion League, a fantastic organization that is changing how we build inclusive schools around the United States. We talked about what inclusion looks like in her family and how The Lion League is different from other social inclusion organizations.
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So without further ado, here is the interview.
All right. Welcome to the Think Inclusive Podcast. I have Arielle Hobbs with us today. She is the founder of a nonprofit called The Lion League. She has been a thinker and writer her whole life and found her passion when she had to rise up and fight for her son, who didn’t have the same opportunities as everyone else. Through her nonprofit, Arielle has curated a curriculum that teaches students how to be more inclusive with their disabled peers. Thank you for being on the Think Inclusive Podcast, Arielle.
Arielle Hobbs
Happy to be here.
Tim Villegas
Now, I’m saying that right—Arielle?
Arielle Hobbs
Arielle, you are saying it right.
Tim Villegas
Perfect. So we had talked a few months ago about The Lion League, and I was just really excited about what it is and can be. I wanted you to come on the podcast to explain to our listeners what it is and how it relates to inclusive thinking and inclusion in general. So why don’t we start off with: What is The Lion League?
Arielle Hobbs
Well, thank you for being interested. That always gets me more excited about what I do when I meet people who are excited about it. So I’m super happy to be here and explain what The Lion League is. Simply put, The Lion League is a free, school-based program that engages students to be more intentional about including their peers with disabilities.
Tim Villegas
Okay. So how is it more intentional as opposed to—well, I’ll let you explain that.
Arielle Hobbs
Yes. For me, there are a lot of programs out there that pair children up or have mentors or buddies. That might not end up that way, but it starts as a forced relationship. It’s not a natural friendship forming. It’s not based on natural interest in one another. It can be that, of course, and I think it has been. I’m not saying those programs aren’t successful—they are. But I wanted something that really focused on teaching typically developing students more about what inclusion is, what disability is, and how we can be more understanding and accepting. The natural stuff comes after that. If you’re more aware of what inclusion and disability mean for people around you, then friendships and interest levels will occur more naturally rather than being forced.
Tim Villegas
Okay, so help me understand how this would look in a typical elementary school. Now, let me just go back and say—this isn’t just for elementary school, correct? This is for K through 12?
Arielle Hobbs
Correct. We have an elementary school curriculum, a middle school curriculum, and a high school curriculum. They teach the same basic concepts, but we break it down differently for the age groups.
Tim Villegas
Okay. And is this something that’s done during the school day, or is it like an after-school club? Or can it be both?
Arielle Hobbs
Yeah, it can be either. I really don’t put any restrictions on the school. My focus is just to get everyone talking about inclusion. So I don’t care how you do it. That’s one of the things I say right away whenever I speak to someone interested in The Lion League. If they’re thinking after-school club—great, that sounds perfect. If they’re thinking about something during the day—fantastic. I have one school where the counselor goes around and does a social-emotional curriculum, and four times a year she teaches The Lion League curriculum. So every student in that school is getting it. That’s really cool. Some schools believe in it so much that they make sure it’s not just a group of 10 students hearing it—they teach it to everybody. That makes me feel good about what we’re doing.
Initially, I thought it would be after-school programs, student-run with teacher oversight. But we’re still in the beginning stages and learning a lot. Counselors and administrative staff are really grabbing hold of the idea and wanting to teach it to broader groups than just 15 students after school. I’m really happy about that.
Tim Villegas
Fantastic. I have a couple more questions about the curriculum. Is that something you wrote or adapted?
Arielle Hobbs
I wrote it, based on personal experience and some basic research. Each year, we want the curriculum to be different because we hope to maintain some of the same students. Eventually, our elementary students will be middle schoolers, and we still want them in The Lion League. The concepts stay the same, but we approach them from different perspectives each year.
On my website, you can volunteer to help write the curriculum for the year. It’s a one-year, low-key volunteer position. I worked with two fabulous special education teachers this year. I write the bulk of it, but I want the committee to transform into something beautiful that everyone gets excited about—like, “Who’s going to write it this year?”
Tim Villegas
Let’s talk about this year’s curriculum. Can you give us specific content examples from the first lesson or unit?
Arielle Hobbs
Sure. There are four lessons for elementary school and eight for middle and high school. Middle and high school meet monthly; elementary meets four times a year. The first lesson is “What is inclusion?” For middle and high school, the second lesson breaks down how to apply what they learned.
Elementary is more of a basic overview. Every session ends with action. Students get a printout and write their own action items—how they’ll apply what they learned over the next 30 to 60 days. We want them to come back and report on those challenges. Each meeting gets richer as students understand more and become more aware.
Tim Villegas
I like that a lot. How are schools implementing this and recruiting students? Is it through announcements, flyers, or teacher recommendations?
Arielle Hobbs
It varies. Some schools add it to existing leadership groups. One school teaches it to every student—no option, no permission slips. Another school offers it as an after-school club with optional sign-up. A school in Florida presents it to students and sends home info for interested kids. A middle school in Texas uses a leadership group, and one in Arkansas has a reverse inclusion setup with special education students and general ed students working together. That’s been really fun to watch.
Tim Villegas
That leads to my next question: How are students with disabilities included in this process? Is that up to the school, or do you encourage it?
Arielle Hobbs
It’s strongly suggested and pushed on my end. I can’t make schools do anything, but I definitely want full inclusion in The Lion League. It’s much richer when we have students with different types of differences—disability, race, background. They can all speak from different places. So yes, it’s more than suggested.
Tim Villegas
That’s awesome. Let’s talk about your personal experience and why you started The Lion League. You mentioned rising up and fighting for your son. Can you tell us what happened?
Arielle Hobbs
Absolutely. It was an unfortunate experience, but it helped me find my passion. I have three kids. My middle son is eight, has an intellectual disability, and is nonverbal. We signed him up for a local Kinder/First basketball league. I called ahead and asked if they were inclusive. They said yes. I explained my son might need some support. They said it was fine.
But when we arrived, no one greeted us. I stayed on the gym floor with my son while other parents sat on the bleachers. The coach ignored us. Eventually, I got emotional and left. I called and asked for a refund and expressed my disappointment.
I stayed angry for weeks. I’m usually a happy person, so this wasn’t normal. Instead of letting it eat me up, I decided to do something. I created Pride Inclusive Sports to push inclusive recreation. But it failed. We had great disability programming, but no typically developing kids signed up. I realized I was segregating the community I wanted to include.
So I took a break and decided to change my approach. I would educate people on inclusion and disability. That’s how The Lion League was born—with my son in mind, but with the goal of benefiting the entire disability community.
Tim Villegas
That’s powerful. You mentioned the segregation in sports due to competitiveness. Do you think there’s a place for disability-specific events or organizations like Special Olympics?
Arielle Hobbs
I’m a realist and a dreamer. I have to live in the now and hope for better. Right now, there is a place for Special Olympics. I see firsthand how much joy it brings. Last weekend, we participated in a Special Olympics swimming event. My son had the best time and felt like a superstar. We met amazing people and had a great experience.
So yes, there’s space for that. Do I wish sports weren’t so hyper-competitive? Absolutely. Do I wish all kids could play together on the same team? Yes. But we’re not there yet. I dream of a world where Special Olympics isn’t needed, but I don’t think we’re there yet.
Tim Villegas
I feel similarly about education. I have a vision of inclusive schools where there’s no need for self-contained classrooms. But we’re not there yet. I used to feel bad about that, like I was betraying my ideals. But I realized I’m in it for the kids. They’re not the problem. As long as I keep that in mind and do what’s best for them, I’m okay.
You’re doing the same—pushing for what could be, while participating in what’s available now.
Arielle Hobbs
Absolutely. I wouldn’t deprive my son of that.
Tim Villegas
Exactly. I just talked a lot—sorry if I stepped on your thoughts.
Arielle Hobbs
Oh my gosh, no. I love the conversation.
Tim Villegas
Do you feel that same tension in your son’s education?
Arielle Hobbs
Yes. Personally, I’m all for full inclusion in schools. But I’ve met amazing parents of children with disabilities and individuals with disabilities. I welcome the conversation and want to hear both sides.
When I started this journey, I thought everyone felt like me—especially parents. I was shocked when some said they weren’t interested in full inclusion. I’m not shocked anymore. I love hearing why. Some parents fear having their child in general education all day, especially if their child is medically fragile. I get that.
So yes, I’m for full inclusion, but I want to be respectful of parents who have fears and concerns.
Tim Villegas
That’s a great point. The fear is real, and it’s based on experience. The system isn’t set up for authentic inclusion. There are barriers. But what we’re advocating for isn’t a fairy tale. Inclusive models exist. They’re research-based. They’re happening now.
People can say it wouldn’t work in their community, but we can point to examples. With organizations like The Lion League, we can say, “Yes, this can happen here. You just have to make it a priority.”
That’s why I’m excited about what you’re promoting.
Arielle Hobbs
Thank you.
Tim Villegas
How can people who are interested in The Lion League contact you and get the curriculum for their school or club?
Arielle Hobbs
Visit our website: thelionleague.org. Everything is there—curriculum descriptions, workshop info. Right now, we offer workshops locally in Texas or places I can drive to, like Louisiana or Arkansas. That would be me coming in and doing two workshops a year if your school isn’t ready for the full curriculum.
We also have volunteer opportunities, like helping write the curriculum. The website has all the contact info, and I usually answer personally. I’d love to hear from everyone.
Tim Villegas
Are you also on social media?
Arielle Hobbs
Yes. You can connect through the website. We’re on Facebook, Twitter (though I don’t tweet much), and Instagram. You can also connect with me personally on Facebook. I’m always thrilled to connect with people personally, not just professionally.
Tim Villegas
Awesome. One more thing before I let you go—as a teaser, are you still writing a children’s book?
Arielle Hobbs
I am! The children’s book is written. It’s a series—the first two are finished. I have an agent, and we’re pitching to publishing houses. We’re really excited about the potential of the series coming out soon.
Tim Villegas
Awesome. So you’re committing to coming back on the podcast to talk about your children’s book?
Arielle Hobbs
100%. I’m in.
Tim Villegas
I’d like to thank Arielle Hobbs, founder of the nonprofit The Lion League, for joining us on the Think Inclusive Podcast. Thanks for your time.
Arielle Hobbs
Thank you.
Tim Villegas
That is our show. We’d like to thank Arielle from The Lion League for joining us. Make sure you check out their website, thelionleague.org, and find them on Facebook and Twitter. Follow Think Inclusive on the web at thinkinclusive.us, as well as Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, and now Instagram.
Today’s show was produced by myself, talking into USB headphones, Zoom H1 Handy Recorder, MacBook Pro, GarageBand, and a Skype account. You can also subscribe to the Think Inclusive Podcast via the iTunes Music Store, Google Play, Stitcher, or Podomatic.com—the largest community of independent podcasters on the planet.
From Marietta, Georgia, please join us again on the Think Inclusive Podcast. Thanks for your time and attention.
Key Takeaways
- The Lion League is a free school-based program that aims to teach students about inclusion and how to be more intentional about including their disabled peers.
- The organization’s curriculum is designed for elementary, middle, and high school students, with each age group receiving tailored lessons on inclusion and disability.
- The curriculum includes action items for students to apply what they have learned and encourages them to challenge themselves to be more inclusive.
- Schools can implement The Lion League’s curriculum in various ways, such as after-school clubs, school-wide programs, or as part of existing leadership groups.
- The organization promotes full inclusion and encourages schools to have students with disabilities actively participate in The Lion League’s activities.