GREENFIELD — Dressed in pink leggings and a bright blue T-shirt — with matching pink and blue high-top sneakers — 6-year-old Ivy Meek-Brown twirled like a ballerina on Greenfield-Central High School’s football field Monday morning.
The beaming, brown-haired girl was among dozens of kindergartners through eighth graders taking part in the fourth annual Special Olympics hosted by the high school on Monday.
Known as Unified Champions, the two-hour long event pairs students with disabilities with partners known as unified helpers to take part in a number of events, like walking a balance beam, maneuvering through an obstacle course, kicking soccer balls and running the 50-meter dash.
More than 200 participants from all eight of Greenfield-Central’s elementary schools, middle schools and junior high school participated while students from all but one of the schools came out to cheer them from the bleachers under sunny blue skies.
“It means a lot to these kids to be able to participate and to be in the spotlight for the day, and they get to experience other kids cheering for them as well,” said Lynnea Case, assistant director of special education for the Greenfield-Central schools.
“They get so excited because during the year they practice and they get together with their partners and do special activities throughout the year leading up to the big day,” she said.
Nelson Holthouser and Rayana Duncan were among the parents whipping out cell phones to catch a few photos and videos of their kids in action.
The couple’s only child, Xander, a Harris Elementary kindergartener who is autistic, was participating in his first Unified Champions games.
“He doesn’t say much but you could tell he was really excited about today,” said his mom.
His dad, meanwhile, was excited to see so many people cheering on the kids.
“It’s amazing to see how inclusive this community is,” he said.
Audrey Herman came out to support her daughter, 6-year-old Jackilynn Herman, who was among the unified partners helping out their peers.
“She is one of the students who was chosen because she goes out of her way to help the other special needs children in the classroom,” said Herman.
As big sister to a 3-year-old brother who is autistic and nonverbal, Jackilynn learned from an early age that people with disabilities deserve love and support, said her mom.
“One of the young men in her class is in a wheelchair and sometimes wears leg braces, and so she immediately became best friends with him the second she met him and helps him at the playground and the (lunch) table, things like that,” said Herman, who has taught her kids to help out when they can.
“We’ve taught them it’s important to show people that just because you’re different, you aren’t lost. That’s the biggest lesson. We should help everybody and love everybody. A disability is just a different ability, in my opinion,” she said.
Third grade teacher Brianna Brechbuhl was thrilled to see her students working together at Monday’s Unified Games.
“I really like that it gets kids acclimated to being out and being included in everything. The kids have a lot of fun and so do the teachers,” said Brechbul, who teaches at Weston Elementary.
“This was one of my favorite days of the whole year last year, seeing all the smiles and happiness,” she said.
