The first ever Prince George Champions track meet took place on a sun-drenched Tuesday last week. Students from fifth to twelfth grade came out to help or compete with other schools in a wide range of track events such as the 50, and 100 meter dash, long jump, and a softball throw.

The meet was an event held as a part of Champions, an organization that gives special education children and regular education children an opportunity to compete together in all kinds of sports. Lee Davis and Patrick Henry High school came out to compete with each other and PGHS.

Prince George is one of twenty schools that are a part of Champions in Virginia. Prince George has been a participant in Champions for two years now and so far, they have competed in basketball, bowling, and swimming.

The lead coordinator of Prince George’s participation in Champions is CTE teacher Anne Roberts.

“We’ve got a lot of folks here having a good time,” said Roberts. “Champions embodies what our school is about – regular ed and Special Olympic athletes competing together and supporting each other. Our Special Olympic Buddies’ club goes to the sporting events – bowling, basketball, swimming and track – and cheer and support our Olympic athletes. This track event allowed all of our members to participate.”

This organization and this event is an experience that participants will never forget. It brings students of many ages and types of education together to compete with each other instead of against. It’s friendly competition and teaches a worthwhile lesson.

“My ‘takeaway’ of the day was watching an athlete continue to run as fast as she could, even though everyone else had finished,” Roberts said. “She was a winner – she finished the race. And everyone cheered just as loudly for her as they did for the ‘winner’.”

Photos by Cierra Ashley, Ayjah Johnson, and Taylar Bauschatz.

Everyone that came out to participate was a part of something that accepted and included everyone of different circumstances and aspects of life. Champions represents the idea that anyone, no matter his/her type of education or whether or not he/she lives with a disability, is capable of anything as long as one puts forth effort.

“When we realize that our life race is the same way then we become a winner as well,” Roberts said, “We continue to compete until we finish the race. Champions shows us all that we can compete and win every day of our lives.”