SPOKANE, Wash. — More than 200 special education high school students from across the Spokane School District experienced a day of inclusion and celebration yesterday at a specially designed field day event.
“We’ve kind of started this mantra at Shadle that everyone will be celebrated,” said Darby Schmidlkofer, a special education teacher at Shadle High School.
Schmidlkofer and Keleigh Kreilkamp, a speech language pathologist at Shadle High School, organized the event to ensure special education students could enjoy a memorable high school experience.
“Inclusion is paramount and at the forefront of our brain always,” Kreilkamp said. “We want to make sure the students feel as though they’re getting their actual high school experience.”
The event, themed “Heroes Unite,” transformed the traditional field day concept into an adapted version specifically designed for special education students. Participants dressed in superhero costumes to reinforce the message that everyone is a hero on the same team.
Students enjoyed a variety of activities, including a sensory tent, sports competitions, inflatable obstacle courses, and hanging out with ponies.
Leadership students from Shadle High School played a crucial role, making every participant feel welcome with high fives and encouragement.
“We want to make high school something where people want to go to school every day,” said Jersey Harmer, a Shadle High School student.
The impact of the event was evident in the reactions from participating students, who expressed their joy throughout the day.
“There are no words… truly to describe the greatness and the smiles on the students’ faces,” Kreilkamp said.
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