Before stormy weather moved in, the sun was out and spirits were up Thursday morning, May 5, at Collierville High School’s annual Dragon Games, a K-12 field day for students with special needs in the Collierville Schools system.
Dragon Games is an Olympic-style event that gives the students and volunteers an opportunity to come together and support one another.
Set up on the football field, students from each school organized under tents before activities began and wore a specifically colored shirt that coordinated with their school.
As the day progressed, students moved from one activity station to another with a two-minute transition period between activity stations. Both students and educators volunteered to coordinate field day activities.
Students ranged in age from 3 to 22 years old.
Participants included students from all nine Collierville brick-and-mortar schools and also from the newly formed Collierville Virtual Academy, an online-only school that became its own entity this school year.
Michele Seiler is one of the supervisors in the Department of Exceptional Children for Collierville Schools and helped organize this year’s Dragon Games.
She has been in administration for the Department of Exceptional children since the inception of the Collierville Schools system in 2014.
“Originally when we were in Shelby County Schools, we did a Special Olympics type of event,” Seiler said. “When we became Collierville Schools, we started talking about it, and it took a little bit of time to get it together but we made it happen.”
The first Dragon Games was held in May 2017.
“All the schools from kindergarten to high school participate,” Seiler said. “We didn’t have a game in 2020 because of COVID, and in 2021, each school did their own thing so we didn’t have so many students close together.”
Seiler said the Dragon Games are tailored for children with special needs so they can enjoy an outdoor field day with all their school peers safely and happily.
“We have a physical education teacher representative from every school who designs the games,” Seiler said. “They are adapted field day activities so everybody can participate in them and students can rotate from station to station.
“They change the activities from year to year, but we try to create activities where everyone can participate in something.”
Activities include Tennis Frenzy, a soccer shoot, football throw, ball catch, ring toss, tic-tac-toe, 20-yard dash and 4-yard dash.
Seiler said the coordinated field day for students with special needs helps empower them while also elating volunteers, parents and onlookers.
“Being able to participate in something that they are able to do does build their confidence,” Seiler said. “We see a lot of smiles. At the end of the day, we have a big dance party — you just see the kids light up when they get to come in the middle and celebrate together.”
Seiler noted that it took the efforts of all Collierville Schools’ students and volunteers to bring the game into play.
“The Best Buddies Club at Collierville High School is our biggest contributor,” Seiler said. “We have cheer and pom helping out with the games in addition to many faculty and staff volunteers.”
Rileigh Rees, 16, is a member of the Collierville High School pom squad and volunteered to work the event.
Awaiting an oncoming group of students by a black inflatable pavilion with the rest of her squad on the sideline, Rees explained why the two spirit squads were stationed there.
“We’re cheering on all the different schools as they walk in before they come out to the field to play games,” she said. “We just welcomed in Collierville Middle School. They were really excited to see everyone cheering them on.”
As a Durham yellow school bus approached the track and field, Rees scurried back over to the front of the inflatable pavilion to join her fellow squad members.
With teams waving white pompoms on both sides of the pavilion and roaring with enthusiasm, Collierville High students adorned in yellow shirts emerged excitedly with some students carrying a bright banner in front.
“I love this school because there is so much to do and so many opportunities. Just like this, being able to come out here,” Rees said. “I love we were even allowed to come and put this on since maybe not everyone has these opportunities.”
At activity station one, Collierville High freshmen volunteers Reagan Johnston and Kaileb “Bryce” Shea, both 14, tossed around tennis balls just before activities began.
Standing next to a group of tennis balls on the ground sitting on the cusp of the track, Johnston explained her motivation to participate.
“Two years ago I came and helped with the extended school year, or ESY,” Johnston said. “I got to have one-on-one interaction with kids with special needs and I loved it. It’s given me a chance to know how the children function at their best and makes me feel better about myself to help.”
Read more: https://dailymemphian.com/section/suburbs/article/28612/collierville-high-school-dragon-games