Lovejoy Special Olympic Athletes Were Celebrated

On Feb. 1, 2019, the Lovejoy High School gym was full of school spirit as students, staff and parents rallied around their Special Olympics athletes. The previous day, Lovejoy ISD hosted a Special Olympics basketball Skills Competition where students from all grades competed. 11 other school districts competed as well. 342 students participated in the event. Earlier in the year, Lovejoy Special Olympic athletes competed in bowling and Bocce Ball which were hosted by other school districts.

Hannah Patrick, a Lovejoy cheerleader, told how important participating in the Special Olympics at Lovejoy was to her sister Jessica (class of 2017) and how her sister and entire family benefitted from the program. She said, “Special Olympics helped my sister to be active and social.”

The idea to hold a pep rally to recognize the Lovejoy Special Olympic athletes originated with senior, Audrey Supan. Supan’s senior project is “LARK” – Lovejoy Acts of Random Kindness. Throughout the year, she and other students have done random acts of kindness around the school to encourage kindness and to include all students. Supan works in the special needs class during her off-period. She said, “I’m close with the students and staff. This pep rally was the perfect platform to highlight their hard work.”

Basketball Skills Results:

Lovejoy Elementary School

Kinder – Sam Doelling – 2nd place, modified. Gus Diaz – 3rd place, modified

1st – Garrett Winder – 1st place, modified. Hannah Pang – 1st place, modified. Toby Black – 2nd place, modified

2nd – Colin Wilkins – 2nd place, modified. Sam Ciatto – 4th place, 8 ft basketball skills competition

3rd – Cruz Cazares – 1st place. Jonathan McGill, 1st place

4th – Isabella Aguilar – 2nd place, modified. William Sherman – 2nd place, 8ft basketball skills competition. Seth Scanlon – 3rd place, 8ft basketball skills competition

Sloan Creek Intermediate

Leila Juarez – 1st place, ramp skills competition

Hudson Smith – 1st place 8ft basketball skills competition

Thadd Eason – 5th place, 8ft basketball skills competition

Cohen Zuerker -

Myra Natarajan – 3rd place, modified basketball skills competition

Mattias Jackson – 4th place, modified basketball skills competition

Willow Springs Middle School

Placed 2nd place in 8 ft. basketball skills competition

Julian Garcia, Reagan Jackson and Sullivan Hempkins

Lovejoy High School

McKenzie DeCarlo – Bronze Medal, 8ft basketball skills competition