From April 7-11, the Otterbein University Special Olympics Club, along with Westerville City Schools students from the Best of Both Worlds program, engaged in a campaign to get individuals to sign a pledge to stop using the ‘R’ word – retard(ed). The R word hurts those with intellectual disabilities because it is exclusive, offensive and derogatory. The Spread the Word to End the Word campaign asks people to stop saying the R-word as a starting point towards creating more accepting attitudes and communities for all people. Language affects attitudes and attitudes affect actions. The pupils asked that everyone pledge to use respectful, people-first language. To enlighten their peers, the group collected hundreds of signatures at a table they set up in the Otterbein Campus Center.