In celebration of their Unified sports players, Joel Barlow High School will host its first annual Unified Homecoming Dance on Nov. 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the high school. The purpose of the dance is to provide unified students with the opportunity to foster new friendships among students in the community, maintain current friendships and allow for a fun way to kick off the year.
The start of the fall soccer season inspired the idea because of the connections students were building during matches and tournaments.
The Unified Sports program enables students with intellectual disabilities to compete with their non-disabled peers in athletic activities. The initiative promotes inclusion, teamwork and positive social interactions within the school community.
Barlow Head of School Dr. Mario Almeida and special education teachers Kristina Martor and Amy Hannibal wanted to provide students with another way to connect, on the field and off it as well.
“A common theme when chatting with other coaches is a need and desire to foster more opportunities for our special athletes and Unified teams to develop stronger connections,” said Martor.
Due to the re-energized Unified Sports program, they wanted to increase opportunities for their students and provide them with the opportunity to expand their social horizons while bringing the league members together and allowing students of all abilities to engage in a lively atmosphere.
“The main goals for starting the dance are to create more awareness and develop future partnerships,” said Hannibal. “Essentially, we hope for special athletes to continue to grow meaningful friendships with their peers and broader community.”
A disc jockey at the homecoming will facilitate crowd engagement and keep the energy at a high level along with a photographer and refreshments from local businesses. They envision the event becoming bigger and better in the years to come while continuing the tradition and encouraging all students to participate. The community’s support has been overwhelmingly positive.
“The atmosphere is electric,” said Almeida. “We could not have asked for a more welcoming reception.”
