Imagine walking into a room where differences don’t create division — but instead build unity.
For the Eagles and Dragons Club, an after-school organization fostering friendships between neurodiverse and neurotypical students on campuses just a short distance from each other, it’s a reality.
The club, connecting high schoolers from The Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD), a college prep school, and Oak Hill Academy (OHA), a K-12 school for students with learning differences, aims to provide a welcoming space for socializing, teamwork, and mutual support.
The club was founded by ESD freshman Luke Crowhurst, and is co-led by ninth grade class president Zach Fish. Luke’s sister, Lana, an autistic person, has attended OHA for six years. Alongside her, Luke began attending Oak Hill’s summer programs, building friendships with the students and teachers at Lana’s school.
“I thought it would be a really good idea to start a club where ESD kids can gain perspective on the different lifestyle of [neurodivergent students] and also provide Oak Hill students with the opportunity to build stronger social interaction skills,” Luke said.
Club members participate in sports, ice cream socials, movie nights, scavenger hunts, and gift exchanges. ESD students also open doors in carpool line on Friday mornings at OHA, welcoming students with friendly smiles.
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“The kids at Oakhill are our friends,” Zach said.
ESD student Kate Lewis has been participating in the club since its early beginnings in September of 2024. Kate’s brother, who was born with a condition known as Hemifacial Microsomia, attended Oak Hill through graduation in May 2024.
“The way you treat other people matters, and the way you talk to other people matters,” said Kate.
Ellie Tsao, an Oak Hill senior, remembers being eager to join the blossoming community. “When I first heard about the club, I was super excited because I wanted to meet new friends, and I got to meet a lot of new kids that go to ESD [that I] can hang out with,” she said.
Oak Hill junior Sawyer Hearn was also among the first to join. “Getting to socialize with other people from other schools broadens the perspective of our community,” Sawyer said. “[The club] also gets us to communicate our feelings and interests with each other.”
Gil Drori-Lipin, a ninth-grade student at Oak Hill, finds joy in the social aspect of the club. “I met some friends and did some fun activities together and ate pizza with them,” Gil said. “We talked about our likes and stuff. It was really cool.”
ESD Latin teacher Anne Fahrenholz serves as club moderator. “It’s wonderful to see students that would not typically be considered in the same social circles get together and be so happy,” she said.
Brit Smart, executive director at Oak Hill Academy, sees the club as a breath of fresh air in a society that’s so quick to impose boundaries.
“These (ESD) kids are graduating soon, and they’re going to enter a society … filled with neurodivergent people,” Smart said. “This [club] is making an impact on helping inform society of the types of people that exist, and the challenges people face.”
