All Students Shine at Jessie Baker Games

Robinette Ross couldn’t miss this moment.

Positioned perfectly for a photo opportunity, the mother of 14-year-old twins Akia and Akayla cheered and pumped her thumb as she stood adjacent to the stage where her daughters would receive medals.

Ross was one of one of the many parents and friends who came out Friday morning to support students of all ages who participated in the Jessie Baker Games, a two-day athletic event on Wednesday and Thursday at the Jessie Baker School, an Elk Grove public school for children of all ages with severe disabilities.

“To me, it’s an opportunity that my children wouldn’t normally get in school,” Ross said. “They feel like athletes.”

This week's Elk Grove Patch Athlete of the Week award goes to all the students who participated in the games, which consisted of track and field events from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday and Thursday, concluding with a medal ceremony on Friday morning. Events included running, relay races, long jump, hurdles and softball throw.

“With our emphasis on healthy choices and healthy habits, this is a culmination of a year’s work on physical health and self-esteem,” said principal Kathy Dona.

It’s not a competitive event, as all students are urged to do their best and each student wins first place. The event celebrates the motto at Jessie Baker: “Everybody shines.” Students were called one at a time to a small stage where medals were placed around their necks.

“It’s their chance to show what they can do,” said Connie McGinnis, a classroom instructional assistant at the school. “They work hard all year long to prepare for this event and it’s a real exciting time for them.”

There are athletically gifted students, but they are taught the importance of working together, explained Kate Haroldson, a special day teacher for severely handicapped young adults at the high school level.

“We have some students with great athletic ability but they’re the type of students who stop and wait for somebody else,” Haroldson explained. “When they say everybody is a winner, it really is that way, because these guys really want their friends to do as well as they do.”

Students prepare year-round for the event through an adaptive physical education program and months of training.

“It’s a huge buildup to the games,” Dona said. “The students usually wear their medals throughout the year. It’s a huge event in all of their lives.”

Dona said the event has taken place annually for more than 20 years. Community support came from the Elk Grove Lions Club, fire and police departments and various area businesses.

Arthur Cardona, whose son Johnny Ray proudly accepted a medal Friday, praised the event for the confidence that it gives the kids. He said the school does a great job providing the type of exercise that lets his son get energy out.

“If he doesn’t move around a lot, he gets very antsy and jittery," Cardona said.  "This lets him jump out of his shell a little bit.”