Teachers and administrators from Dutch Broadway School in Elmont faced off against student-athletes from the Henry Viscardi School during three exciting Wheelchair Basketball games on April 21.
Dutch Broadway physical education teachers Deb Bennett and Glenn Saenz, along with Bennett’s childhood friend Viscardi Center coordinator Joe Slaninka, organized the Wheelchair basketball games as an offshoot to the school’s Disability Awareness Day. The annual event brings Viscardi students to Dutch Broadway to speak about their disabilities as well as their hopes and dreams for the future.
“These events allow us to show our students that the Viscardi students are no different than they are,” Bennett said. “The students will also see that these kids are stronger than us and that the teachers are at a disadvantage in these games. Our hope is to teach our students empathy for others.”
Throughout the wheelchair basketball games, Dutch Broadway students cheered on both teams, celebrating each basket earned. While the teachers fought hard and had some success in earlier games, the third match up was a blow out, with Viscardi students winning, 58-12.
Photo Caption: Dutch Broadway teachers and Viscardi School students are pictured with fourth-grade students, who were spectators during game one.
