JES holds pep rally for Special Olympians

Published 11:00 am Thursday, April 27, 2017

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By STEVEN CALHOUN/Staff Writer

Jemison Elementary School held a pep rally for its Special Olympics participants on April 26.

“All the classes are really excited to see how well [the athletes] do,” principal Meghan Owens said.

The school’s students poured into the courtyard with signs they created to cheer on the athletes. Cheerleaders from Jemison High School held up a banner, and the Special Olympians burst through it to run out in front of the crowd.

The cheerleaders led the students in cheers for their classmates. The athletes danced with the cheerleaders in a special routine they had practiced.

“I think it’s great, because we’ve never had anything like this before. Jemison Elementary has just been really good … it’s a big support for the [Special Olympians]. We’re very proud of them,” special education teacher Angel Smith said. “I think it lets [the students] see that everybody’s capable of doing something, and everybody has abilities and is able to be involved in different things.”

Nicole Bennett was there to see her child, a Special Olympian, perform in the pep rally.

“It means a lot ­– the show of support from the school and the community,” Bennett said. “It’s touching that the community would reach out and make the effort and that the school would celebrate in their abilities instead of focusing on their disabilities.”

The Special Olympics were held April 27.