Gridley Middle School in Tucson is hosting a highly-anticipated reveal of inclusive sports equipment which was all funded by a grant from The Hartford.
The Hartford recently awarded Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports, a non-profit based in Tucson, with $50,000 to go towards making sports more inclusive. With that money, the group has purchased adaptive sports equipment for the community.
Gridley Middle School physical education classes were chosen to host the reveal of the equipment, led by teacher and City Councilmember Paul Cunningham.
The reveal is the culmination of a week-long Adaptive Sports & Inclusive Recreation in Schools (ASIRIS) pilot program at Gridley.
"I think it's not just an athletics unit, it's a perspective unit," Cunningham told KGUN 9. "I think it's a unit about citizenship, about empathy, and I think it's something that a lot of these kids will never forget."
"I think it's an amazing organization that helps bring awareness and perspective to those who don't use wheelchairs so we have a better understanding of those who do," said Brylee Kennedy, historian of the student council. "I just think it's overall an amazing opportunity so we get to experience what it's like and have a little more sympathy."
Cunningham said the goal is to be in 18 middle schools across Southern Arizona by next year.
Learn more about the program on Good Morning Tucson as April Madison goes live from Gridley happening this morning from 5AM-7AM on KGUN9.
