District 13 athletes gear up for the games

There were pinks, reds, blues, greens, and just about any other bright color that you could imagine. Children were all abuzz with excitement, eyeing their choice colors. After some rolled up their sleeves, all students began tie-dying T-shirts after hours at James A. Dever School on May 24.

Their artistic efforts weren’t in vain, but for a special event, the Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged at Mitchel Field. The district will compete in the statewide competition, which is for students with disabilities, on June 3. Eight student-athletes will participate in track, field, table tennis and other events. This will be the second time that the district is participating in the popular event.

The students will wear their T-shirts there, and gain a lot as participants, said Lisa Sells-Asch, assistant superintendent for special services. “They learn so much about teamwork, tolerance and abilities instead of disabilities,” she said.

Much of the communal spirit from last year’s debut has remained. Each athlete is paired with a student buddy, who can be a sibling or friend from any of the district’s four schools. The buddies help and support their younger counterparts.

Willow Road School fifth-grader Amanda Davi cheered on her 9-year-old brother, James, as a buddy last year. “My brother has been doing it for a long time,” she said, “even thought he moved schools.”

James Davi, a student athlete who has celebral palsy, now attends the Brookville Center in Brookville. His mother, Christine, is glad he can participate even though he does not attend a district school, and is very proud that he will have another shining moment as a student athlete. “It’s a wonderful thing for kids,” she said. “They let our children stand out and shine for things that are not easy for them. People take it for granted when they have a happy typical child.”

Students seemed excited to color their shirts. Dever first-grader Tazio Barra said it was very fun. “I am really excited about the games,” he said.

Parent Iram Hameed helped her sons, Bassit Khan, a Willow Road School sixth-grader, and Harris, a Dever second-grader, with the activity. “I actually love it,” she said. “It’s very enthusiastic for them, makes them feel good and special. It builds their self-confidence.”

The young athletes, and their buddies and chaperones, seemed to connect like family members. “Looking around the room, you can’t tell who’s a special athlete and who’s a buddy,” said Shoshana Bazini, a district physical therapist who initiated the involvement with the competition. Fifteen athletes won numerous medals last year, she added.

Children will get to challenge themselves, said Willow Road physical education teacher Peter Gatto. He believes the activity is run very well. More importantly, he is happy that the athletes will get this recognition.

“It’s nice for them to shine athletically,” Gatto said. “You’re not going to remember what you got on a spelling test, but these are the moments kids will remember…this is everything that is right with school. It’s not even the successes or failures of that day, it’s them doing it, them having their moment.”