The Sinclair athletic teams partnered up with the Miami Valley Minutemen to raise awareness for disabilities.
Sinclair hosted a wheelchair basketball game as a way to bring awareness to adaptive sports and disabilities.
A variety of Sinclair athletes from different teams were involved in a skill game with the Minutemen players.
Alicia Schroeder, the Disabilities and Counseling Manager, said that she hopes students will learn that there is an “able” in disability.
“Students will learn about adaptive supports and appreciate the athleticism and skill involved in this sport. This event is a perfect event for demonstrating the “able” in disability,” she said.
Nearly 1 in 5 people have a disability in the United States, according to the Census Bureau. In 2015, only 17.5 percent of people with a disability were employed.
The game is the main feature as part of Sinclair’s Disability Awareness Month activities.
“The goal of Disability Awareness Month is to educate students about disability issues and also to celebrate the accomplishments of those with disabilities,” Schroeder said.
The Miami Valley Minutemen are part of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. They play locally and they also play against other teams in the league.
The National Wheelchair Basketball Association “provides qualified individuals with physical disabilities the opportunity to play, learn and compete in the sport of wheelchair basketball.”
Americans with disabilities make up the largest minority in the U.S and, according to the U.S. Department of Education, students with disabilities have lower rates of participation in afterschool activities. In 2013, the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights released guidance that clarified existing legal obligations of schools to provide students with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate alongside their peers in after-school athletics and clubs.
The event was open to the public and Sinclair students. Schroeder encouraged all students to attend and to invite family and friends as well.
The game took place on Monday, Oct. 24 from 11:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
Laina Yost
Managing Editor