NBC 7’s Joe Little explains how this program helps students with different abilities to connect with students inside and outside of school.
Most people tend to think advanced placement classes elevate a school and students to new heights. Others might think it’s the presence of an arts and music curriculum. At Poway High School? It’s PE.
“I get really excited to work as a team and have kind of a home to come back to every day,” said Poway junior Susanna Kotoyan with a smile.
Susanna’s team in PE is usually a team of two, though. Her teammate is often Lucio Nava Lopez, a junior with special needs. They are both part of Poway’s Unified Sports physical education program.
“We live in a world where people are really different from one another,” said Prescilla Alvarado, Poway’s inclusion specialist. “It makes you feel really proud and happy to be an educator and doing what you're doing.”
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Alvarado said Poway and Del Norte high schools added Unified PE to their curriculums earlier this year. The Special Olympics has already named them both Unified Champions Schools. Students like Kotoyan volunteer to join the class. However, Kotoyan said many students have already arranged to stay in Unified Sports through graduation.
“They are amazing humans, and they're going to make the world a better place,” Alvarado said. “It makes me feel very hopeful.”
A Poway Unified spokeswoman said the district is trying to be the first to add Unified Sports to all 39 of its schools, from elementary through high school. All five of PUSD’s high schools are expected to have the program by next year. The district also gets added funding through the Special Olympics to pay for events that unite students from multiple schools in athletic events.
