Program takes special needs students out for bowling event

Every day's a good day for Wayne Swiger, and last Thursday was particularly good. The retired special education teacher was in attendance at a four-school outing at Northside Lanes, which paired special needs kids with other students, as well as parents, teachers and teachers' aids.

Swiger is in his first year as an aid at North Augusta High School, helping teacher Lauren Caldwell with her class of moderately to profoundly disabled students. He said after retiring he wasn't ready to leave the profession altogether.

As he watched the special needs students bowl with some help from their regular education buddies, he said, "This is a very good program. This is a good outlet."

The program is part of a Project Unity grant, explained Caldwell. She said four high schools - North Augusta, Midland Valley, Silver Bluff and South Aiken - each received a $1,000 grant to fund materials, practice, etc., which has allowed the special needs students at all four high schools get together periodically along with their "buddies," students in regular classes at each of those schools who volunteer to spend time interacting with the special needs kids. At North Augusta, the buddy club is called "Be a Fan," and the students help their special needs counterparts work on lessons, attend Special Olympics with their buddies and more.

With the grant, Caldwell said each school has taken on one outing. Last fall, they played flag football together at Silver Bluff High. North Augusta High hosted the bowling last week, and coming up is Wiffle Ball at Midland Valley.

Northside Lanes was the perfect place for the North Augusta outing, because, general manager Brandon White pointed out, they already had the special ramps, courtesy of an ongoing program with the RECing Crew.

"It gives the ones who can't throw the ball a chance to enjoy it, as well," said White.

And for NAHS student volunteer Auburn Smith, working with special needs kids comes naturally. Auburn was one of the participants in a four-school outing for kids with special needs from North Augusta, Midland Valley, Silver Bluff and South Aiken High School last week. They all shared the fun bowling at Northside Lanes.

"I grew up with it, so I know how to help ... and I get along with everybody," Auburn said, pointing out her mom, Anna-Lori Kitchens, is a special needs teacher at Silver Bluff, and her grandmother, Celeste Spence, taught special education at North Augusta High.

A sophomore at NAHS, Auburn said, "I've been going to Special Olympics for a long time." And at the outing at Northside Lanes, her little sister, Shae, was there, as well.

Dean Braddy, a student volunteer from Midland Valley, said he learned about the program last year from his gym teacher and was "pretty interested" in taking part this year.

The program was also a natural for Ashley Jewell, who is a teacher's aid in Caldwell's class and a graduate student at ASU. While Jewell had originally strayed a bit from what she now sees as her calling, she's happy to be an aid in what is to become her profession. "I need to be in a classroom," she said, adding the Project Unity programs are "really beneficial."

Caldwell said a part of the grant went to a set of mock bowling balls and pins at NAHS, so the kids could practice - along with their buddies. "We used the money for shirts for my students, bus travel, food and T-shirts for the buddy club," she detailed.

Caldwell said the interaction has helped validate how much "regular" kids have in common with the kids with special needs. She explained in her classes they talk about sportsmanship, and they practice for Special Olympics and for the four-school gatherings.

One of the goals of the grant and the connection of kids of all types is an effort to "End the 'R' Word."

"The goal is to empower students in special needs classes," said Caldwell, in an effort to boost their self-esteem. "Most of them already realize how valued they are," she added.

Meanwhile, she pointed out, "The regular ed students are having a blast ... Our kids think they're celebrities now." "This (Project Unify) serves to unify our children with regular education," Kitchens agreed. "It's making it cool to help."

Caldwell said it has proved to be a great opportunity for the regular ed kids. "So many want to be involved," she said.

"Even the popular kids," added Kitchens, who pointed out one student on Wednesday had put on her Facebook page, "I get to go help out (with special needs students) tomorrow."

And weighing in as a professional, the school district's special needs coordinator, Jill Ashmore dropped by Northside Lanes, said simply, "This is fabulous."

As for Swiger, he concluded, "It keeps me young and happy."