As soon as I decided to write to the DIAA I researched the board of directors. I asked around and had some connections with members on the board. When I learned of Mr. Charles and his executive director position I knew he would be the perfect person to write to. I found the address for the main office of the DIAA on a simple google search.
Kevin Charles
Executive Director
John G. Townsend Building
401 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
Dear Mr. Charles,
As the executive
director of the DIAA, I’m sure you understand how important sports are to kids.
Everyone should have access to the opportunity to play sports for your high
school, especially kids with disabilities. They have enough separations as it
is, sports should no longer be separate. From first hand experience and the
stories of many kids with disabilities, it is important for them to be
included. High school sports need to make a place and take a stand against this
separation. Unified sports need and deserve a place in high school sports. Kids
with disabilities should not only be included, but also encouraged to play on
the newly formed unified teams.
A kid with a
disability can score a goal or make their first basket and it could change
their life. Many kids with disabilities may physically be incapable of doing
certain things. That should not stop them from trying and finding another way
to do it. Donna Amis, a special education teacher that has been working with
kids with disabilities and Special Olympics for over a decade talked about the
skeptics and people who doubt the skills the kids hold. She said, “I would say
where there’s a will there’s a way and just seeing my children play will change
any persons doubts or judgments.” With a unified team, regular athletes can
team up with their partners and accomplish a number of tasks.
Also, physical
aspects are not the only factor in sports. Many sports involve a positive
attitude and mental strength. The school involvement and spirit, as a whole,
will sky rocket with unified teams. The support from the student body will help
the unified team over any hurdle they might face. The team atmosphere and
mentality drives the fans to cheer them on. The constant exercise from practice
and warming up in games would be plenty of exercise for any kid, especially one
with a physical or mental disability. Imagine what a difference being apart of
practice and getting treated like every other athlete could do for a kid with a
disability’s attitude. Mentally, high school students with a disability are separated
in the classroom from average high school students. The learning environments
separate the students enough. Supporters of integrated learning environments in
the article “Special Education” found in the Issues and Controversies database say,
“An integrated education allows special education students to feel less
alienated from, and more a part of, the school community.” The same concept
should apply in high school sports. The idea of integrating and including kids
of every type is what community should be all about. Creating unified teams
could simply solve that problem.
The main problems that
come up when discussing the addition of unified teams are based around time and
money. I am aware that budgets are tight and space is limited, but the addition
of these teams could change lives and schools all together. Money can be
fundraised or granted and the use of the money can be evenly distributed so the
program will work.
Working first hand
with Special Olympics changed my life without a doubt. The ability to learn
patience and grow as a person just by spending a few hours with these kids is
life altering. The school and community would pull together to make this work,
and so we need to take the right steps toward making it happen. Donna Amis,
special education teacher at Concord High School said, “This is my 17th
year at Concord High School, and by the time I retire in 2016, I would like to
see at least 2 sports be recognized by the DIAA as a unified team.” The time
for inclusion and acceptance is now. The community and school spirit need
change and the place to start is through the addition of unified teams into
high school sports.
Easing unified
teams into high school sports is the way to approach the change. We need to
start with meetings to discuss the changes and the best scenarios to implement
them. When meetings with the coaches, athletic directors, and even the athletes
take place these changes need to be discussed. The sports community needs to
come together in order for the unified teams to be accepted and become apart of
high school sports. This change means the world to me so seeing it happen would
be taking incredible life changing steps toward inclusion.
Sincerely,
Kristen Brooks
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