PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Department held its first Unified Game Day on Friday that included the district's special needs children and families in a daylong Special Olympics event at Taconic High School.

 

"We want to showcase the strengths that students have and there are so many. I think that a lot of their strengths come out during this event. They persevere through a lot, to be able to just come to school, to be able to participate in everything, to be able to make the gap lesser and lesser, and for everyone to be accepted and to feel accepted," educator and co-organizer Bridget McKeever said. 

 

"And I think that's one of the most important things is everybody has a right to come to school and feel excited and feel like they want to learn and feel comfortable and safe." 

 

Stearns Elementary pupils participated in the event, along with special education students from Crosby and Egremont Elementary, Reid Middle, and Pittsfield High schools.

 

The career and technical education students built the risers for the children to receive their medals on after each game.

 

The field was separated in half by age with each side having a running race, long jump, and softball throw. 

 

McKeever and co-organizer Katie Lefkowitz were inspired to create a game day after attending Special Olympics over the years. Leftokowitz is a speech pathologist and McKeever a special education teacher at Stearns.

 

Hundreds of students gathered around in a circle in the field's center as each group marched with the posters they made signifying their schools.

 

They surprised their parents with a choreographed dance to "This Is Me Song" by Keala Settle and "The Greatest Showman Ensemble" led by McKeever and Lefkowitz. 

 

"I looked at the dance just to see everyone and you know what, like it's so exciting just that we could have this many people in one arena during COVID times," McKeever said. "Everyone getting along, everyone being nice. Everyone forming a nice community and bond and people having fun. Kids feeling successful."

 

The students could be seen laughing and competing while enjoying the cloudy spring day. 

 

The Fire Department brought Sparky the robotic firehouse dog and handed out firefighter caps. The police handed out popsicles from Operation Copsicle.

 

The two women had worked for three years with Superintendent Joseph Curtis, Assistant Superintendent Marisa Mendonsa, and Stearns Principal Sara Luciani and head custodian Daniel Moore to make the day happen.

 

They wanted to create an opportunity to collaborate with other schools while also giving parents a chance to interact with the staff, meet their children's current and future educators, and see their children succeed. 

 

"Our focus really, is to have a wonderful community event where parents can come and see their children succeed," McKeever said. 

 

"We talked about schools and community collaboration, but we don't really do it. And we haven't been able to do it because of COVID. So now that the restrictions are a little bit lighter, we completely took advantage of that this year."

 

The Special Olympics Committee awarded them a grant to cover the expenses. 

 

The games gave families a chance to cheer students and praise their success. It is a reflection of the direction that schools in the area are going in.

 

Lefkowitz said the community, and parents, don't see that work that's being done every day in the classroom.

 

"They don't get to see the relationships that our children are building with each other, whether or not they have special needs, and they really are each other's cheerleaders," she said. "Because at the end of the day, none of us are perfect. 

 

"So we all need somebody to cheer us on, whether it's reading, writing, running, driving, or just showing up for work. I mean, we all need that person. And I think the unified games is just an extension of what's currently happening in our schools."

 

The Pittsfield Public Schools are becoming a more unified place by providing more opportunities to students who have disabilities. 

 

"Bridget and I both have children, and we know how happy, excited we are when they excel at anything, but there's something about sports that just has kind of a natural excitement to them. And so many of our students that have special needs don't always get the same opportunities for sports," Lefkowitz said. 

 

They are hoping that as time goes on this event grows so they can include more people. They will be sending out feedback forms so that they can learn more and improve the event next year.