Duckworth school is up to the Challenge once again

Sponsors, peer coaches among those helping students participate in athletics

Every student participates in one of 15 different athletic events that they train for with volunteer peer coaches from local schools for two months. This year’s peer coaches came from Beltsville Elementary School, John Nevins Andrews School in Takoma Park and Concordia Lutheran School in Hyattsville.

Duckworth Principal Wanda Williams said the peer coaching program has been the basis for Challenge Day’s success over the years.

‘‘We begin in the very beginning of the year,” she said. ‘‘We work with the students to get used to our children. The first thing is to overcome the fears they have in working with the challenged students. Then, they just become friends.”

Williams said the coaching program can prove just as beneficial to the coaches as it does to her students.

‘‘You never know,” she said. ‘‘One of them might grow up to become a doctor that finds a cure for some of the disabilities they have, or create equipment that will be assistive.”

Diamond Huggins Marshall, a peer coach from John Nevins, came to Challenge Day to cheer on Kevin Harrell, whom she helped train in soccer.

‘‘I like the food, the friends, the weather and helping the kids,” she said. ‘‘They’re so much fun. They make me laugh.”

Chris Means, whose 12-year-old son, Tyler, participated in the obstacle course also found that peer coaching is a means of keeping the community involved.

‘‘It gives a chance for kids without special needs to come and bring them all together,” he said. ‘‘The coaches have done great. They come once a week and they get a really good personal relationship going between the two.”

Tyler has attended Duckworth for four years, and Means said he looks forward to Challenge Day for months in advance.

Over the years, Tyler has participated in track and field, kickball, baseball and soccer.

Each event is designed to key on a specific motor skill. The other sports at this year’s Challenge Day included basketball, bocce, swimming, bowling, dance, skating, cycling, relay races, football and tee-ball.

Although five Duckworth students participated in Wednesday’s county-wide Special Olympics, the majority of students are physically or mentally unable to partake in competitive sports.

Williams said Duckworth received approximately $10,000 worth in sponsorship and donations for Challenge Day, with approximately $7,500 of it coming from the Apartment Owners Building Association.

‘‘They provided for us a lot of what you see here today,” Williams said. ‘‘Not only do they provide monetary support, but they also provide a helping hand. They’re doing the face painting and they’re giving out the tickets and the awards to students.”

AOBA has been a supporter of Duckworth for over a decade and the association’s director of administration Jeanne Clark said that it has raised over $100,000 for the school.

‘‘This school needs a lot more specialized equipment and they just can’t afford it,” she said. ‘‘We’ve developed a relationship with them and we just can’t leave. Those kids just tug at your heartstrings.”

AOBA also provided a tent for the opening ceremonies, food, raffle items and a cotton candy machine.

More than 130 spectators and volunteers from AOBA were on hand for the event.

‘‘It is amazing how the professionals, the teachers and the community work to make this day happen for the students,” Williams said.

E-mail Jonah Schuman at jschuman@gazette.net.