Annual festival builds bridges of CARE across ages, abilities

C.A.R.E Days is S.E.V.E.N! Spring has sprung and it’s time for the annual, district-wide event celebrating K-12 students who are part of Adaptive Phy-Ed services. C.A.R.E (Celebrating Abilities, Rallying Everyone) features a variety of events, and students can enjoy a day in the outdoors while playing carnival games and participating in activities on the track.

Students from levels two and three of Global Academy, Leadership, and members of CONNECTED serve as volunteers for the day. 

“You check in with your ‘buddy,’ greet them, and then just hype them up the whole day, helping them decide which activities to do,” Global Academy English teacher Kelly Wayne said.

The relationships between the buddies is essential to the day’s outcome. 

“Global students do really well with C.A.R.E Days, especially since level three students have participated the year prior, as well as had other events with our ‘buddies’ throughout the year. I feel like we do a really good job at being leaders, interacting, and supporting,” Global Academy Spanish 4 teacher Jennifer Olivares said.

For IDMS teacher Bruce Schreiber, the lasting friendships created are the highlight of the event. 

“It’s really neat to see because once they’re matched up with their partners, you’ll see them in the hallways talking to each other,” he said.

Wayne enjoys bringing together different parts of the West community in a group setting. 

“It’s a really great opportunity to interact with people you don’t really get to interact with in a normal school day,” she said. “Taking people outside of their comfort zones and sort of seeing friendships, ultimately, by the end of the day, turn into real relationships, that bonding happens.”

Students who participate learn many values and create memories in the annual event. 

“I think most of our students go into it thinking about a day off of school and excited about being able to be outside, but then by the end of the day they’ve formed new friendships, or met new people, which is really powerful,” Wayne said.

All of the games and activities for the day are adapted to meet the needs and abilities of their participants.

“The participants love being able to have a day of fun designed around some of their unique needs, while being able to hang with a ‘buddy’. The natural support peers benefit from having a day of giving and providing opportunities for students that they may not get without this day happening,” co-founder of C.A.R.E. Days, Gillian Pakula, said.

Pakula, along with Kristine Steinhilber and Patti Kimball, formed this event after getting inspiration from a different district.

“We attended ‘Friendship Days’ at Ripon high school eight years ago, which was run by their leadership class,” Pakula said. “This was a track meet and there were so many positive interactions between the athletes and the leadership kids that we wanted to do something in our district that was similar.”

C.A.R.E. Days creates a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone can participate and enjoy themselves, ultimately making it an event for the whole community.

“The awesome part of C.A.R.E. Days is that it’s something bigger than all of us; it’s about making the day special for someone else,” Wayne said. “That’s a really great lesson for life when you can just make someone else’s day better.”

Volunteers and sponsors play a crucial role in ensuring the success of the event. 

“It’s important as a young person to understand the importance of giving back in an unselfish nature,” Pakula said. “What students find out is if they give all of themselves, they get more out of it then they would have ever imagined.”

For Wayne, the day is a highlight for the people involved.

“I just love watching everybody just have fun,” she said. “Every year I get a little teary during the opening ceremony because the kids are so excited to be there, and so are the students from West.”

With the support of the entire district, C.A.R.E. Days has grown into a highly anticipated event for everyone in the community.

By Addi Isely

May 22 2023

Oshkosh West index Volume 119 Issue VIII