Conifer High School’s Adaptive Athletics Program Helping to Create Friendships

Conifer High School’s Adaptive Athletics Program Helping to Create Friendships

digitalsportsnews | December 16, 2014
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In Jefferson County, Colorado, Conifer High School is things a little differently. The school has created the Adaptive Athletics program, which gets students involved with students with special needs. In her junior year at Conifer, student, Taylor Sader-Neade was looking for something a little different than the standard courses and decided to enroll in the Adaptive Physical Education class. "What we decided to do was give these students the opportunity to participate in athletics similar to what their peers do," said Bryan Wickoren, the district's adaptive physical education coordinator. Sader-Neade is one of the peer students in the adaptive physical education – a mentor for students with special needs. In addition to the gym class, about eight adaptive physical education students and twice as many peers participate in Jefferson County's increasing number of inter-district adaptive athletics events. Not only are the participants of this program helping one another, they are creating lifelong friendships.   In 2007, the school District began the program by hosting a basketball tournament at a few schools. Today, tournaments are being held in seven additional sports, including bowling, soccer, basketball, softball, hockey, volleyball and, for the first time, a track and field day this spring. Anywhere from 12-18 schools participate with a total of 200-300 students. "It's gotten to the point now where all schools are participating," Wickoren said. "Even teachers are asking — they want to know about the next event and truly look forward to the days when we do this." Conifer’s physical education teacher, Diana Baker-Low glows with pride about the support this program is receiving from the community. The program started with a strong foundation, but the work Baker-Low has done with both students and peer educators has elevated the entire experience. Jackie Delafose, Conifer’s assistant principal says it has been exciting to see the whole thing evolve into what it is today. "She's been a breath of fresh air, from working with our students and working with our families," says Delafose. Sader-Neade commented on the program as not only being a time to involve students with special needs in athletics, but provide them with the opportunity to socialize with one another and take a breather from academia. "This is the program that those kids look forward to every other day," she said. "They come running down to the gym. They really want to be there, they really want to participate."