Students get into the spirit of the Olympics with special day at Whitemarsh
When rain led to the cancellation of a county-wide Special Olympics competition, Colonial School District didn’t want to dampen the enthusiasm of its student athletes who had been preparing for weeks. So instead of traveling to Hatboro-Horsham High School, the students traveled to Whitemarsh Elementary School for a day of games and camaraderie on May 21.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognize the hard work of our athletes from across the district,” said Stephanie Brennan, Life Skills Support teacher at Whitemarsh.
Teachers and other members of the Special Education Department were able to pivot quickly after learning the Hatboro-Horsham event was canceled and organized a day of fun for the students indoors.
Leading up to the big event, the student athletes were sent off to competition with kind words and cheers during “clap out” events held at the elementary and middle schools. Their fellow students lined hallways and held up signs as their peers marched through the hallways.
The fanfare didn’t end there. The following day, students were greeted as they made their way into the school by representatives from Whitemarsh Township Police, Barren Hill Fire Department, Whitemarsh Community Ambulance Association, Teddy the Paramedic Pup, K9 Seneca, and many Colonial School District teachers and administrators. Then the games began. Students participated in running, throwing, and jumping events throughout the day, celebrating with ribbon presentations and cheers.
Students from all Conshohocken, Whitemarsh, Ridge Park, Plymouth, Colonial Elementary, and Colonial Middle School participated in the games.