It was difficult to tell who was having more fun — the special education students from the Huntington Beach Union High School District or the Westcliff University students who spent the day with them.
Both groups seemed to be enjoying themselves plenty.
“These kids have a massive smile on their face and they’re always happy,” said Matthew Panzica, a graduate student and baseball player at Westcliff. “It gives you a perspective on life, realizing how blessed we actually are to be out here on a beautiful day.”
Dylan Scott, 15, plays soccer against an athlete from Westcliff University during the fourth annual inclusive Sports Day at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday.
(James Carbone)
There were plenty of smiles to go around at the fourth annual Inclusive Sports Day, which was held Thursday at Edison High School.
More than 250 special education students from Edison, Ocean View and Westminster high schools played games like baseball, soccer and volleyball, even getting a simulated surfing experience with the help of a big blue tarp. A DJ playing tunes was also popular, leading to plenty of spontaneous dancing.
A special education student from the Huntington Beach Union High School District is all smiles with athletes from Westcliff University during the fourth annual inclusive Sports Day on Thursday.
(James Carbone)
The high school students wore yellow shirts, while 180 students volunteering from the Irvine-based university Westcliff were clad in navy blue.
The partnership was formed through the Inclusive Sports Foundation, founded by Corona Centennial High School physical education teacher and football coach Matt Lance.
“You hear from the [special education] parents that there’s just a lack of sports, athletics, movement opportunities for their kids,” Lance said. “They’re all doing different therapies, speech, all sorts of stuff with adults, but there’s no inclusive opportunities with them. I was like, ‘OK, I’m a coach at the high school. Let’s get all of our sports teams out and let them just play together.’”
DJ Nick Nack gets help playing music at the turntable from special education students at Edison High School on Thursday.
(James Carbone)
That was in 2017. The foundation has grown since then, and Lance said Westcliff impresses with its dedication for volunteering. It paid for the details of Thursday’s event — the T-shirts, the food and the DJ.
Since early January, players from the Westcliff baseball program have been coming to Edison twice a month to volunteer, often playing Wiffle ball with the high school students.
“Every day that we can, we’ll go after practice, go after study hall, come here and spend time with the kids,” said Westcliff freshman baseball player Parker Chavez, a Newport Harbor High graduate. “It’s really good meeting the kids, especially today, coming out and seeing them and they remember our faces, remember our names. It’s awesome building those connections with them.”
Joe Loomis, Edison High Special Abilities Cluster administrator, has fun with special education student Chase Ream on Thursday.
(James Carbone)
Westcliff senior baseball player Jack Varney has been volunteering with special education students since his high school years in Seattle. He said the uplifting nature of the program goes both ways.
“For me, I come here and it doesn’t matter if I’ve had a really rough week, a rough month, a rough day,” Varney said. “You come here and the affection that these kids give you and show you, it’s unreplicable. There’s been moments that I’ve had family members sick; I lost my grandfather around this time last year. Being here and having the support and affection through everyone, it’s really been something that’s life-changing for me.”
Edison has both a high school and adult special education program through its Special Abilities Cluster. The CORE program serves high school students from about 14 to 18 years old, while the LINC program is for adult transition students and runs up to age 22.
A special education student from the Huntington Beach Union High School District gets a high-five after playing a baseball game on Thursday at Edison High.
(James Carbone)
“I walk around school, and the kids are wearing the yellow shirts all year round,” Edison special programs administrator Joe Loomis said. “I think if you walk around and see the smiles on the kids’ faces, it’s really a highlight of the year for them. It’s not every day that you get to work with a bunch of college athletes on a high school campus. It’s a pretty special event.”
The Inclusive Sports Day is clearly a favorite for Edison student Chase Ream, who was recently voted vice president of the school’s Unified ASB program.
“It’s pretty awesome,” said Chase, 16. “In every sport, you can try your best.”
A high school student poses for a picture with student-athletes from Westcliff University during the fourth annual Inclusive Sports Day at Edison High on Thursday.
(James Carbone)