STRONGER TOGETHER: North Middlesex Regional School District Hosts 5th Annual Unified Sports Day

An estimated 300 students, faculty and staff came together under sunny skies Friday as the North Middlesex Regional School District hosted its 5th Annual Unified Sports Day on the fields between Varnum Brook Elementary School and Nissitissit Middle School. The event is an opportunity for students with differing abilities to compete in a variety of athletic events alongside each other. (Photo Courtesy North Middlesex Regional School District)

PEPPERELL — An estimated 300 students, faculty and staff came together under sunny skies Friday as the North Middlesex Regional School District (NMRSD) hosted its 5th Annual Unified Sports Day.

About 70 North Middlesex Regional High School students volunteered to set up and run the games, allowing the event to take place. Those students and other volunteers arrived at 7 a.m. on the fields between Varnum Brook Elementary School and Nissitissit Middle School.

They were joined by about 50 faculty and staff who supported approximately 170 student participants, including many from the North Middlesex Unified Sports program.

Unified Sports Day is an opportunity for students with and without disabilities to compete in athletic events and games alongside each other. The games help students form relationships and encourages them to motivate and support one other in an inclusive environment.

The event was made possible by exhaustive fundraising, community support, and the contributions of volunteers. The event was coordinated by Tammy Anderson, Jessica Boccelli and Allie Chartrand.

Students and Unified Athletes from the Varnum Brook Elementary, Nissitissit Middle School, Squannacook Elementary School, Hawthorne Brook Middle School and North Middlesex Regional High School took part in activities that included an obstacle course, football throw, soccer, cornhole, javelin throwing, volleyball, a bouncy ball course, Gaga Ball and a game station with games like 9-foot tic-tac-toe, Yard Connect Four, Hopscotch, and Ring Toss.

Students rotated through 12 activities, and were also able to visit a dancing area, a sensory table, and a temporary tattoo station run by students from the after-graduation Gateway Program.

NMRSD is part of the Unified Champion School program, which is based on the values, principles, and experiences provided by Special Olympics to impact a generation that welcomes everyone. The program is aimed at promoting social inclusion activities that affect system-wide change.

Throughout the school year, NMRSD offers Unified Sports programming for students, including Unified Physical Education classes and Unified Basketball at the middle and high school levels, and Unified Basketball, Unified Strength and Conditioning, and Unified Track Teams at the high school level.

Generous support was provided by the Pepperell Lions Club, NMRSD Physical Education teachers, Special Olympics of Massachusetts, Dunkin Donuts, Bailey’s Bar and Grill in Townsend, Pizza Pizzazz of Pepperell, Double Good Popcorn and the Pepperell Soccer League.

“It takes a village to put this event together. We could not do it without the generous support of our volunteers and community,” said Anderson.

“Unified Sports Day really shows just how much we can accomplish when we work together as a community,” said Superintendent Brad Morgan. “I am so proud of the students, faculty, and staff who made this happen.”