Students with Disabilities Get a Chance to Play

Northland Students with Disabilities Get a Chance to Play

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“Hi my name is Paul and I like the games,” said Paul Gannucci.

You can also tell by the way he moves, “I like dancing, I like dancing.”

The 11–year–old was one of more than 300 northland students inside UMD’s Field House for the annual Activity Extravaganza.

“I came to hang out with my friends,” said Gannucci. “It was pretty good. It was pretty good, it was awesome.”

There were nearly 20 different recreational programs for kids living with physical and or cognitive disabilities.

“It’s just to give everybody an opportunity to get out, be active,” Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute sports/recreation coordinator Mark Hanna said.

Every station had modified games and equipment.

“Just give them confidence that yea they can go cycling like anybody else, they can go rock wall climbing like anybody else,” said Hanna.

Bowling, parachutes, volleyball, wheelchair races and lots more were all part of the fun.

“Today I’m liking this trip so far,” said Cooper Elementary student Seth Ketes.

With these opportunities now fresh in their minds, Gannucci and other students are already looking forward to the next one.

“It was good, it was good,” said Gannucci. “I want to come to this again.”

The event was put on by the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, UMD and adapted PhyEd teachers from Duluth.

If you are interested in recreational opportunities for kids and adults with disabilities head over to http://www.allinahealth.org/Duluth-Northland-sports-schedule/