GC is inclusive through robotics, games and school culture

It’s time once again for the community to celebrate kids of all abilities through festive sports and games.

Greenfield-Central schools have been affiliated with the Unified Champions program of Special Olympics for five years, and the program culminates each May with a spirit of unity and joy through field games at the Greenfield-Central High School football stadium. 

While the milestone is certainly worth noting, it’s also just one piece of the greater picture of what GC stands for.

“Learning for all, all for learning” is the tagline of the GC logo, and the school corporation has created a culture of inclusion. With special activities for Disability Awareness Month, a robotics program designed especially for students with unique needs, and teaching inclusion year-round, GC makes a conscious effort to ensure every student feels like they belong.

“It’s not just a phrase we repeat throughout the year. It is a reality that our school embraces,” said Superintendent Dr. Harold Olin. “Unified Champions day and the Unified Champions Robotics team are two examples that are easy for the public to see, and I am proud of the work that our staff does to create those opportunities. But make no mistake– our GC staff members make decisions on a daily basis to provide inclusionary opportunities for our students.

It is part of who we are.”

The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program strives to shape a generation that welcomes everyone, according to specialolympics.org. 

Each GC elementary, intermediate and junior high school has a club for typical students to meet with students of intellectual disabilities to form friendships and plan for special events all school year long. They’ll host creative fundraisers for Special Olympics and often welcome a guest speaker for a school-wide assembly about inclusion. 

The pinnacle of the program is a game day, in which the community is welcome to join the fun and watch children come together for a morning of running, jumping, and cheering each other on.

This year, the event is  at 9 a.m. May 15 at the GCHS football stadium. It’s a morning of community spirit, where businesses donate to make the special day a success; high schoolers cheer them on and organize the festivities; and teachers and students enjoy their camaraderie.

“Our Unified Champions love this day, but even our student partners enjoy it even more,” said Lynnea Case, assistant director of special education for GC schools. “When students are selected to be partners, we have more students who we have to turn away because they want to be partners and they want students to be included. They don’t necessarily see the disability or the difference between each other. They just look at each other as students and peers that go to the same school together.”

Even Greenfield-Central’s littlest students participate: Cougar Cubs have their own Unified Champions game day. It’s their own special moment to shine.

“To create an inclusive environment, everyone needs to feel belonging and we do that with the youngest ones in our classrooms,” said Dawn Sonsini, GC director of early learning.

Maxwell Intermediate School is another example of a GC school that goes above and beyond when helping students include one another.

Teacher Natalie Rasi is looking forward to the Unified Champions games this May, but it’s just one of many events she has been enjoying this year. 

Rasi is a resource teacher at Maxwell Intermediate School, and in the fall she helped lead the Unified Champions robotics team. In March, she organized  a poster contest for Disability Awareness Month.

“We want students to come  to school feeling like they have a place here,” Rasi said.

Students Kourtlynn Nugent, Keiry Herrera and Bethany Albright worked hard during their spring break to create posters for their school. Down syndrome, dyslexia  and blindness were their topics, and they were covered in detailed facts, decorations and even braille and lights to help their peers understand disabilities. The trio earned first, second and third places in the contest.

“It’s important to raise awareness and give kids who have disabilities a voice so we can understand them better,” Nugent said.

MIS students Tate Moore and Chloe Hammons are still riding the wave of excitement from their Unified Robotics events last fall. The sixth graders were on the “GC Cougears” team that competed at Taylor University with car tracks, Legos and more. 

“Not everything will work the first time,” Tate said, but he leaned on support from his team to keep going and earn a third place overall win.

Jennifer Stewart, STEM teacher at MIS, said every student in the Unified Robotics team has a strength, and they build each other up and cheer each other on. Unified Robotics competitions are different from other robotics events in that they are shorter in duration to help students focus. They have brain breaks and even sensory rooms. It gives students with disabilities the chance to learn about STEM in an inclusive environment.

“The competition was important, but it was more about recognizing why they’re there and everyone was celebrated,” Stewart said. “STEM is for everyone. Different students work differently. Some that may not be successful in other places may be successful here.”

Parents Barbie and John Rincones can attest to that. Their son Matthew, a fifth grader, struggles with literacy in school but finds STEM to be a challenge he loves. Working with his hands is right up his alley, and even when something went wrong at the competition, he just kept going and made it work.

“Unified Robotics gives him the opportunity to shine outside of the normal school environment,” John Rincones said. “As a parent, it really makes you proud of all of them, and the teachers.”

Lisa Leliaert, principal of Maxwell, said the lessons are important especially for intermediate school students. At the fifth and sixth grade level, children are looking for approval from their peers. That’s why projects that celebrate all abilities are valuable: students  make connections, and Maxwell is all about supporting each other and learning about each other through getting to know one another.

The effort even shines through in daily lessons. 

“The MIS staff intentionally plan engaging lessons that support all students participating in the learning. For example, teachers have anchor charts with sentence starters to support those students who might struggle to work together with their peers,” Leliart said. “We want to create an environment where students feel comfortable challenging themselves and working together on a daily basis.”

By Maribeth Vaughn