Celebrating an inclusive school culture
On the heels of crowning SAHS homecoming king and queen, it will be recognized as National Banner Unified Champion School
FRANCONIA » Kevin Lezynski and Karly Ditlow each say it was exciting to be named king and queen of this year’s homecoming court at Souderton Area High School.
What makes it even better, though, is that they’re best friends who have gone through school together, the two special needs students said.
“He’s so fun,” Ditlow said of Lezynski.
Video of the king and queen announcement at halftime of the Oct. 6 homecoming game shows Lezynski fist-pumping in celebration as enthusiastically when Ditlow’s name was announced as when his own had been.
While watching the video on a recent day, Lezynski told Ditlow, “Here you go,” as the portion in which her name was about to be announced began.
Seconds before, when the video had shown fellow students in the stands chanting his name following the announcement that he was this year’s homecoming king, he had shyly said, “oh, no,” and hid his eyes, but continued to smile.
The members of the homecoming court are nominated by seniors at the school and were announced a week before the homecoming game, said Bryan Fagan, a family and consumer science teacher and coach of the school’s Unified Sports track and field team.
“The week of homecoming, the entire school voted,”
to pick the king and queen, he said.
The choice by their fellow students of Lezynski and Ditlow is another example of the inclusive spirit at the school, Fagan said.
In the 2015-2016 school year, SAHS started a Unified Sports track and field team. In 2016-2017, another Unified Sports team, bocce, was added. Unified Sports, which is part of the Special Olympics programs, includes typical and special needs students competing together against Unified Sports teams from other schools.
Lezynski and Ditlow are each on both Unified Sports teams at the school.
“Unified Sports is very important,” Ditlow said.
It helps the students who take part in it make more friendships, she said.
Ditlow said some of her favorite parts of track and field are running and throwing the shot put.
Lezynski said he likes that he gets to hang out with friends in Unified Sports and that members of the school’s boys lacrosse team — for which Lezynski is the manager — come to cheer him on at Unified Sports track and field competitions.
Another Unified Sports track and field highlight, he said, was going to Shippensburg University earlier this year for the state championships — which Souderton won.
Both Lezynski and Ditlow also are members of the school’s Souderton INC (Indians Navigating the Community), in the spring musical and in the bowling club.
Outside of school, Ditlow said she studies ballet and tap dance and likes to travel and go to Broadway shows. Family travels have included a trip to Paris this summer, she said.
Lezynski said he also likes to travel. He and his family went to Ireland this summer, he said.
He also is in Special Olympics soccer and swimming, he said.
Lezynski and members of his Boy Scout troop built a gazebo at the school, Fagan said.
During an all-school pep rally on Nov. 30, Souderton Area High School will become the first school in Pennsylvania recognized as a National Banner Unified Champion School.
“This award is bestowed on only a few select schools throughout the country that have met 10 established standards of excellence demonstrative of a commitment to promoting inclusion,” information in a school district release said.
The school district submitted a lengthy application last year and this year found out it will be one of only four schools in the country to receive the special banner presentation this year, Fagan said.
SAHS Athletic Director Dennis Stanton and Supervisor of Special Education Megan Zweiback spearheaded the effort to bring Unified Sports to the school, the release said.
“Unified Sports has been a great addition to Souderton Area High School’s culture of inclusion,” Stanton said in the release. “Our Unified Track and Unified Bocce teams have created amazing opportunities for our student-athletes and have had a positive impact on the entire student body. We are excited to be recognized and are committed to growing our program in the future.”
Tim Shriver, Special Olympics’ CEO, will be the keynote speaker at the presentation, Fagan said.
“His mom, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, is the one that started Special Olympics,” Fagan said.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver was a sister of former President John F. Kennedy.
Tim Shriver will be “congratulating the school on the inclusive culture that we have built” as the school continues “to push the boundaries to improve our inclusive culture,” Fagan said.
Matt Aaron, president of Special Olympics Pennsylvania, will also be speaking at the presentation, Fagan said.
“In Souderton we have always prided ourselves, first and foremost, on being a very accepting and supportive school for all members of our community,” SAHS Principal Sam Varano said in the release. “Unified Sports, however, has catapulted the camaraderie between our typical and special needs students to new levels.”
“I am so proud of our high school,” Superintendent Frank Gallagher said. “Receiving this award is another example of the inclusivity of the school district and of Souderton’s commitment to focusing on the whole child.”