By Sarah Vogelsong
Some unconventional athletes took the field at Caroline High School April 24 at the Meet in the Middle Special Olympics event.
Although the temperature was unusually chilly for late April and the wind strong enough to capsize a welcome tent donated by Storke Funeral Home, the spirits of the 140 athletes and more than 60 volunteers never flagged.
The response of 5th grader Makell Germayne Silver summed up the prevailing mood: when asked if he was enjoying the day, Silver leaped into the air, roaring “Yeah!” with great enthusiasm.
Student enjoyment and accomplishment were the goals of Meet in the Middle, which this year expanded to include all ages, from pre-kindergarten through high school.
Meet in the Middle, said Carol Blackwell, CHS’s special education coordinator, “focuses on ability, not disability.”
“It includes those who have disabilities in athletic events they might not be able to compete in at a school level,” said CHS transition coordinator Billie Teague. “It’s geared to meet them where they are.”
At all eight stations of the Special Olympics—including the bean bag toss and the 25-meter run/walk—inclusivity was the name of the game. Student athletes with a range of physical disabilities tackled the events with gusto, cheered and helped along by a pool of differently abled students, including those with learning disabilities, parents, and school and community members.
“I’m very proud,” said Lacy Whittaker, whose son Fisher was participating as a peer buddy. “It’s been very exciting for us as a family.”
Participating athletes practiced for several weeks before the event with Jonathan Samuel, Caroline’s adaptive physical education teacher, who set up practice obstacle courses to help students know what to expect once they got on the field.
“Each student has issues and disabilities, so you have to break down where each stands,” said Samuel, talking to the Progress from the depths of the huskie suit he had donned to represent Bowling Green Elementary’s mascot.
Many community members came together to help produce this year’s event. Water and food were donated by Food Lion, pizzas by Pino’s and Roma’s, and tents by Storke Funeral Home. Other organizations, including the Caroline Chamber of Commerce, Salem Baptist Church, and Wright’s Chapel, also donated significant resources and time.
Deputy Superintendent Rebecca Broaddus and School Board members George Spaulding and Tinka Harris were in attendance Friday. Harris, a former special education teacher, expressed her satisfaction with the turnout, saying, “They need their special time.”
For Teague, watching from the bleachers, the evident enjoyment of the students was the clearest example of Meet in the Middle’s importance.
“That’s the real reason—the smiles on their faces and the joy and happiness this brings them,” she said. “That is contagious for us all.”