Challenged Athletes Inspire Cole Students

The annual Cole Mile, a day of road races and fun, has a larger purpose this year. Proceeds will go to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides people with physical disabilities the equipment to be able to participate in sports.

Here's an article written by eighth graders Haley Essington, Jacob Manchester, and Max Brouillard from Team Eclipse about the project. (Be sure to watch the video they made too. It's attached here.):

Thirty-four students of Cole Middle School’s Eclipse team have been working hard in the name of the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Inspired by their social studies teacher’s son, Braylon O’Neill, they have made CAF a part of the annual Cole Mile road race.

Braylon was born with a rare genetic condition that resulted in the absence of the tibia and fibula bones in both of his legs. He got his first pair if prostheses at 11 months. Thanks to a recent grant from the Challenged Athletes Foundation for running legs, he can participate in a variety of physical activities such as tennis, acro, golf, tee-ball and basketball. CAF provides equipment for athletes with challenges such as limb loss or paralysis, equipment such as hand cycles, running legs and mono-skis that most insurance companies deem “luxuries.” 

The students have been working hard to raise money for this organization, while increasing awareness of how the label “disability” might affect those who are “disabled,” especially children.

They prefer the term “diffability,” showing that those with different obstacles to overcome aren’t non-abled, just differently abled. Though they have to work harder than the rest of us, challenged athletes can do the activities we do, just in different ways. The eclipse students have been presenting their ideas about “diffabilities” to the school through student-planned lessons and short presentations at lunch, encouraging their classmates to think outside the box.

Student volunteers also organized a school-wide assembly held on May 23 featuring Brendan Driscoll. Brendan, a 15-year-old challenged athlete from Boston, spoke about his experience with CAF and how it changed his life. His speech ended with a student-initiated standing ovation.

The annual Cole Mile road race will feature a teacher dunk tank and obstacle courses forcing students to challenge their bodies and experience the “obstacles” challenged athletes experience every day. By selling CAF buttons, Cole Mile t-shirts, frozen lemonade and tickets to dunk their teachers, the students hope to raise $2,500 for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. The money will be used to provide opportunities for physically challenged children to enjoy the power of sport.

The foundation is also accepting individual donations via the Cole Middle School online donor site. If you would like to make a charitable donation, please visit: http://ColeMiddleSchool. kintera.org.