Virus can't stop POWER PE

Shepard High School special education teacher Ashley Lythberg and physical education teacher Scott Richardson help lead the POWER PE program.

Regular education students serve as mentors for peers with special needs. They help teachers lead PE activities, usually working one-to-one with students with special needs.

The program has grown extremely popular with several sections. Sometimes so many students try to enroll that Shepard needs to create a waiting list.

Students grow close in POWER PE. And so Lythberg and Richardson asked mentors for examples of how they're reaching out during the long break due to COVID-19.

"(Over the weekend) we checked in with our POWER mentors to see how they were doing and gave them the chance to send a message, picture or video to their POWER buddies to let them know they were thinking about them.

"Some took pictures of what they were doing at home to pass the time, while others recorded short video messages or shared pictures of them with their buddy from the school year. Below are some pieces of just a few of the messages sent as they continue to make us proud!" Lythberg said.

Here's what student mentors wrote:

• "I missed pranking Mr. Richardson with you this week! But don't worry we will get him back soon!! ;) I hope you are staying safe and healthy during this little break! I hope you have been having some time to chill because I know I have. A lot of Netflix and YouTube and even some listening to some Hamilton!” - Kate McGovern
• "I hope you’re doing good! Hoping your break is filled with lots of beef nachos, singing, and great afternoons. I miss you and hope to see you soon!!” -Amanda Silzer
• “I can’t wait to see you when we get back, and we can sing all of the Spongebob songs you want. I have been spending a lot of time with my dog and my family, and I hope you are, too!” -Chloe Banicki
• “I also have been watching a lot of Spongebob in my free time, but I can’t wait to go back to POWER! I’ve attached a picture of me and my dog, since I’ve been spending a lot of time with her, and she’s so cute! Have fun, and I can’t wait to see you again!” -Erica Banicki

• “I miss working out with you and playing basketball, but I’m sure you’re playing plenty of basketball at home. I can’t wait to see you when we come back to school so you can tell me all about your break” -Ellie Hall