Comstock Park — As the opposing team moved the basketball toward the basket, junior Matt Jones had two choices: raise his arms in defense to block the ball from getting into the basket or be less aggressive and allow the student to make a shot.
He chose the latter.
“We were just out there trying to have some fun,” said Matt, who is part of the high school’s Unified Recreational Basketball team. “Wiping the floor with someone is not fun and not the purpose.”
Matt’s actions fit the goal of Unified Champion Schools, a Special Olympics program that promotes social inclusion by fostering interactions between students with and without intellectual disabilities. The program is designed to create a sense of belonging through activities like unified sports, youth leadership and whole-school engagement, said special education teacher Danelle Hovenkamp.
“Personally, I like being a part of it because it gives me a chance to promote inclusion in a different setting than school,” said social worker Kendra Beasley, who is the team’s coach.
While she still wanted the team to win — they actually won all three games at the January Comstock Park invitation — the more important piece is that it builds students’ confidence and allows them to find joy and make friends, Beasley said.
Creating Connections
Hovenkamp brought the Unified Champion Schools program to Comstock Park High School this school year.
“When I interviewed for this position, I asked about bringing the program to the school,” said Hovenkamp, who helped develop the program at her previous district, Lansing Public Schools.
“It is important for the students,” Hovenkamp said of the program’s promotion of inclusion. “I have seen gen-ed students go into the special-ed (classrooms) because of being part of this program and I have seen special-ed students popping in to visit friends in other classrooms.”
Programs are planned by the student-led Youth Activation Committee, or as more commonly called by the students, YAK. The committee has worked on inclusion events, such as a November Inclusion Spirit Week. This winter, it hosted a photo contest called “Be the I in Kind,” where the letters “K,” “N” and “D” were on a wall and students took pictures of themselves and each other being the “I.”
The students also decide on the sports activities. Last fall, it was the Unified Bowling Team and for the winter the basketball program.
Practices are during the school’s flex time, every Tuesday from December to April. Practices during school give students the chance to try a sport they may not have had access to before, due to factors like transportation, work schedules, other after-school commitments, or conflicts with another sport’s schedule, Hovenkamp said.
Make New Friends, Try Something Different
Jones said he had always wanted to try basketball but his schedule did not offer the opportunity. After learning a friend was participating in the recreational basketball program, he decided to join as well.
For the January game, he was partnered with senior Cameron Dykhouse, who has played basketball since elementary school.
“I had friends with special abilities who were participating, so I thought let’s give it a shot,” Cameron said with a smile, adding he has enjoyed connecting with other students and felt more a part of the school.
During the invitational, while on the sidelines, Cameron led the cheers for his teammates, with perhaps only his family cheering louder than everyone else when he made a basket.
It was ninth-grader Jesus Quiroga who suggested the basketball program for the winter. Jesus, who has played basketball, said he made the suggestion because he thought it was a fun sport that anyone could play.
“I enjoy being with my teammates because they are my close friends in class and at lunch,” Jesus said. “We get to know each other more and do stuff together.”
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