Special needs students prepare for upcoming field trips

by Kayla C.

Airport’s special education classes are preparing for a busy schedule as they have two field trips coming up at the end of this week. Their first trip will be on Thursday, October 19 when they will visit the local state fairgrounds. The second field trip is the very next day on Friday, October 20 where they will travel to Swansea High School to compete in the Special Olympics.

On October 19, the South Carolina State Fair hosts a “Sensory Friendly Morning on Exceptional Citizens Day.” This is a day specifically designed to allow individuals with disabilities to enjoy the fair. This event starts at 10 am, before the gates open for everyone, to 12 pm. During this time there will be fewer bright lights, noise, and crowds to accommodate those who may be easily overstimulated. “This experience is all about inclusiveness,” said special needs teacher Mrs. Brock.

Students will be able to walk around and view the many attractions that the fair has to offer such as the rides, the art exhibit, the barn, etc. “They are very excited to see everything, eat a thing or two, and hang out with their friends,” remarked Mrs. Brock.

These students will also have another opportunity to make memories with their friends on their field trip to the Special Olympics.

The Special Olympics is an opportunity for children with disabilities to train for and participate in many different athletic competitions. These events allow and encourage athletes of all ability levels to compete in the wide variety of games they play.

As for the Special Olympic event at Swansea High School, the students will participate in a Bocce tournament. Bocce is an Italian sport in which the goal is to roll the bocce ball close to the target ball, the palina. Bocce is one of the most commonly played sports in the Special Olympics

This event will last the entire school day allowing students to embrace a whole day full of fun. Not only do the Special Olympics allow students to connect with their classmates, it allows them to connect with all of the other special education students from other schools as well.

One of the students commented, “I’m happy we’re going on these trips… I hope we get to do more!”

There are a lot of positive reactions from both the special education students and the teachers about these upcoming events. Representation is very important in allowing our students to feel included. Events such as the two field trips call for a more fun environment and allow our special education students to feel appreciated.

To find out more information on the Sensory Friendly Morning on Exceptional Citizens Day at the South Carolina State Fair you can go to https://www.scstatefair.org/sensoryfriendly/#:~:text=PLAN%20YOUR%20VISIT&text=On%20October%2019th%2C%202023,Citizens%20Day%20at%20the%20Fair.

To find out more about what the Special Olympics is and how it works you can visit https://so-sc.org/.