Special needs students enjoy ‘Champion’s Day’

JACKSON, Tenn. – On Wednesday, everybody was a champion.

“We have crafts and games. We have the characters that they can hug. They’re special for a couple hours,” said Tom Jones, scout master for Troop 6 of St. Mary’s.

Champion’s Day is an annual field day, designed for the special needs students of the Jackson-Madison County School System. For many of them, this day full of games and activities is one of their favorite of the year.

“I work with South Side High School, and these kids were standing at the door with their shirts on ready to go at 7 o’clock this morning,” said Carol Rogers, a special education teaching consultant for JMCSS. “Trying to get them to settle down and wait until 9 was quite an adventure. They are very excited to be here.”

The event was started by the Boy Scouts of America and their “Learning for Life” program. Over a decade ago, Sacred Heart of Jesus High School joined forces with them to help run the field day.

“It’s a fun day for them but it’s also a fun day for us, to come out here and be able to play with them and do something good for the community,” said Will Keyl, a senior at Sacred Heart.

“It makes you feel so special inside. It just gives you this loving feeling in your heart. Just seeing these kids have such a great time here, making an impact on them changes it all,” said Jasmine Blankenship, a sophomore at Sacred Heart.

They hope the program runs for years to come.

“This is something we want to be doing for the next generation. This is something the students enjoy, and something the students from Sacred Heart enjoy,” Jones said.