This mission-aligned integration will ensure more schools have opportunities to pursue spaces that value belonging for all students
RIVERWOODS, Ill., Aug. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CEL (Center for Enriched Living), a nonprofit providing programs and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is proud to announce the addition of The Nora Project, an organization dedicated to teaching empathy and inclusion through education.
CEL, a leader in disability inclusion and empowerment since 1968, already offers social, employment, mental health, adult day, and community-based programs that support teens, adults, and seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Now they will also provide school-wide professional learning for educators, and Disability Studies informed curricula for students in PreK through high school with The Nora Project
This training and coaching has reached tens of thousands of students and educators across the country through a suite of social emotional learning programs that dive deeply into the concepts of empathy and inclusion, explicitly addressing disability and difference as a part of human diversity.
“Together, we’re creating a more connected, compassionate world from childhood through adulthood,” said Herb Washington, CEO of CEL. “The Nora Project equips students and educators with the tools to understand and embrace difference. CEL provides a community where inclusion is a lived experience.”
One of these key tools is The Standards for Inclusive Schools. While standards guide many facets of education, there have never been standards focused on inclusive education, where all students with and without disabilities are welcomed as their full and authentic selves, respected as integral parts of the community, and empowered to advocate for themselves and others.
Not only are these resources and programming nationally recognized and embraced by educators who want to ensure their classrooms are a place of belonging, they are also widely available.
School districts, schools, or individual classrooms across the US and Canada can implement a new standard in education where diversity is expected and valued in every classroom. These programs connect what students are learning to the real world, offering them authentic opportunities to practice what they learn during direct instruction.
The ultimate goal is to create a future where inclusion is not an afterthought but is embedded in how people teach, live, and connect from the start. “Together, we’ll reach more people, share more resources, and create even more meaningful opportunities for people with and without disabilities to thrive together,” said Lauren Schrero, Co-founder of The Nora Project and CEL Board Member.
To learn more about everything CEL offers, now including inclusive education curricula, professional learning, and program pricing packages, please visit ExperienceCEL.org/TNP or contact [email protected].
SOURCE The Nora Project
