Cheers wafted through the air on the field outside the New York Institute for Special Education in Pelham Parkway on Thursday, June 2, as special education students of all ages competed against one another for a gold medal.

 

The competitions consisted of track courses, shot put, softball throws, and long and short jumps, with the students split up into teams, designated by colors. The excitement of the day was clear judging from the determination and joy expressed on the young athletes’ faces.

 

Adolescents participating in the institute’s “readiness program” to 12th grade took part in a series of modified physical games which mirror those included in an annual sports tournament organized by the Eastern Athletic Association of the Blind [EAAB], a collective of schools for the blind.

 

According to the APE [Adapted Physical Education] teachers at The New York Institute for Special Education, which is located at 999 Pelham Parkway North, students participate in swimming, wrestling, cheerleading, goal ball, and track and field.

Since the start of the pandemic, however, the EAAB has been unable to hold the tournament, which usually consists of a weekend-long event, hosted at individual schools. The students would usually travel with coaches, aides, and teachers to take part, but starting last year, the institute adopted a modified version of the tournament.

 

Although this contingency effort was appreciated by most students, according to the institute’s assistant principal, Jason Laracuente, some still felt a little disheartened at missing out on the usual trip away for the EAAB tournament.

 

“Some of our students who participated in the past [in EAAB] feel like they’re not participating now [to the same degree],” Laracuente said. “They felt as if they’re missing out.”

 

Another issue was that some students had to wait until they were 13 to play in the EAAB tournament, and students who are “upper classmen” have now had two years void of the excitement that comes with participating in the EAAB tournament.

 

Still, students like Matthew Cho and Jamila Conde were appreciative of the institute’s efforts, nonetheless. “Something is better than nothing,” said Conde, who added, “It’s really fun to get out of the classroom and see people we haven’t seen.”

 

Class sizes remain small at the institute, and because of COVID-19, the students have also been unable to interact with one another during school hours. During their competitions, though, students from different classes were able to intermingle and compete both alongside and against one another. On the warm day of fun activities, there were no walls acting as barriers to separate them.

 

“It’s a great opportunity to test our strength,” said Cho. “It’s nice to get to have a chance when, in the real world, we don’t.” He also mentioned that the school hosts a lot of fun, pleasant activities for them, which he acknowledged showed how much the school officials care for them. “It’s like a family here,” he said.

 

The familial atmosphere, along with some friendly, competitive rivalry, permeated the air on the day as kids cheered on their friends and were, in turn, cheered on by others. With coaching, encouragement, and jokes from the faculty, the event was, overall, one that sparked much joy.

 

For the students who are visually impaired, Margherita Manz, the principal, explained, “We have guides running with the kids.” For those participating in the events which required throwing like the shot put, the staff banged sticks together to let the students know in which direction they should throw. For the jumping type activities, aides stood beside and in front of the students to guide them.

From throwing to running, the students showcased all the practice they had put in and which they had started about a month before the event took place, according to Carina Cam and Christopher Pabisch, two APE teachers at the institute.

 

“For the past month, we were coming out, practicing the jumps…” Pabisch said. “Certain ones……there’s a hop, step, jump…it’s typical for them [to encounter some difficulty] to get the footing down.”

 

Indeed, some students are still learning the jump, according to Cam, who has been an APE teacher for 5 years. She said the students’ practice in the lead up to the tournament also included figuring out in which events the students would compete.

 

“We identified the appropriate events for them,” Cam said, mentioning that the APEs worked individually with the students on this matter. She added that a good portion of her work was also trying to ready the kids to compete in front of people, noting that trying to make them feel comfortable in themselves and with an audience was sometimes a bit of a challenge, especially given the limited time they had to prepare. “My main thing I tell the kids is that they’re only competing against themselves; they should be proud of themselves,” she said.

 

APE classes usually comprise six kids. This, according to Pabisch, can also have its downfalls, even though coaches can work one-on-one with the students. “If there’s 2 or 3 kids absent, we can’t really do much,” he said. “The classes are so small, and you can’t combine them.”

The competitions which made up the tournament were also part of the students’ curriculum. Aside from the enjoyment the kids derived from participating in the activities, they also helped improve their motor skills, grip, and focus.

 

“The kids had a willingness not only to compete, but to do better,” Pabisch said. He added that he felt that, overall, the day had been a success, not only in terms of the kids’ progress but also in terms of their happiness. “It feels amazing,” he said. Cam agreed. “If the kids are smiling, then we did our job.” There were smiles all around.