OPPORTUNITIES: Poly hosts its first annual Super Bowl for Kids.
By Skylar Rains, Staff Writer
On Friday 31, Poly held an event for Riverside Unified School District’s (RUSD) intellectually disabled students. Participants came from Gage, Earhart, University Heights and Sierra Middle Schools, along with Poly, King, Ramona, Arlington and North High Schools. Overall, 240 special needs students participated.
The event consisted of each student starting at the ten-yard-line and briefly discussing a strategy while his or her name was announced to the spectators. The student then ran into the end zone while football players dove out of the student’s way.
Student volunteers from the Bear Pals, Link Crew, Associated Student Body (ASB) and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) clubs helped to manage the event. Cheer and Band ensured that each student had his or her own special moment of victory by both cheering and playing the fight song for every touchdown. The football players formed an offensive and defensive line and helped the students reach the end zone.
The idea for this event was initiated by Poly’s principal, Dr. Michael Roe, who was inspired by a similar event occurring in Hemet Unified School District. Poly Counselor and Special Education Advisor Lisa Miller oversaw the planning for the event along with other student volunteers who also helped to organize the game. Dr. Roe hopes that this event will become an annual RUSD tradition, which will be hosted at a different school every year.