Elementary school students in the Camden Central School District had the opportunity to meet with elite athletes at the top of their respective sports, while also learning lessons in courage, determination, and acceptance on Wednesday, March 29th. Camden Elementary and McConnellsville Elementary had the honor of hosting athletes from the Sitrin STARS program through school-wide assemblies.
The STARS (Success Through Adaptive Recreation and Sports) program is Sitrin’s innovative adaptive sports program for people with physical disabilities. It was established in 2001 and sports a dynamic roster of athletes playing numerous sports.
Each athlete’s story and success is unique, and their triumphs have included chances to advance to World Championships and the Paralympic Games. Many of the Sitrin STARS athletes play multiple sports at an advanced level.
The attending STARS athletes included 2016 US Rifle Paralympian Tammy Delano, Wheelchair Curling World Championship Medalist Bob Prenoveau, and Lawrenso Williams. The group was accompanied by STARS program director Marc DePerno.
Each member of the group shared their own individual experiences with adaptive athletics. The students also brought several thoughtful questions for the athletes to answer.
The visits were arranged with the assistance of Connected Community Schools site coordinator Tayler Galusha. For Galusha, the timing was right for this assembly. March is Disability Awareness month, and the month’s student character focus was Courage. This assembly fit both themes perfectly.
“I was researching events and programming for March and I remembered it was Disability Awareness month,” Galusha said. “I’ve been to a Sitrin Stars Game before, so it came to my mind to reach out to Marc… It’s always important to have disability awareness in our schools. With this month’s character trait being courage, I thought there was no better way to drive that home than with these awesome athletes who have had to overcome so much in their lives to be where they are today.”
As program director, DePerno said these visits are extremely important to educating the community about adaptive sports and the dedicated people who play them. School visits also provide a window into the boundless opportunities available through the STARS program.
“Our primary purpose is awareness,” DePerno said. “We’re raising the awareness that people of all abilities can do amazing things whether it’s in the world of sports, or life. By demonstrating and communicating and showcasing this program to children, they understand that this is a possibility regardless of what limitations are perceived. As they get older, they’ll share that knowledge with their peers, friends and family.”
If you would like to build on this lesson with a family activity, you are in luck. The STARS program will host its 2023 Celebrity Wheelchair Classic on Thursday, April 20th at Utica University’s Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium.
A team of STARS athletes will compete against a local celebrity team featuring Syracuse University basketball players Quadir Copeland and Benny Williams. More information, including ticket purchase options, is available at https://www.sitrin.com/about/events/18th-annual-sitrin-celebrity-classic-wheelchair-basketball-game/.
