LACEY, Wash. — At a track and field meet on Thursday, 650 kids from 40 schools gathered in Lacey.
And everybody won.
The Kiwanis Club organized a "Day of Champions" to give special education students a track meet of their own.
"This is a big thing," said Sarah Hamblin, mom of 9-year-old Phillip. "It’s so much more than a simple track and field day."
Her son is a special education student at Tenino Elementary School.
North Thurston High School teacher Erich Weight came up with the idea for a meet 15 years ago.
He kept noticing his special education students’ reaction when they went to school football games.
“I looked in their eyes and saw their spirit,” said Weight. “They’re just as competitive as everybody else. They want an opportunity to perform.”
The first event included students from seven schools.
This year, 40 schools sent students to compete in events, including soccer ball kicking, frisbee throwing, and a 50-yard dash.
Schools in Mason County and Steilacoom hosted similar track meets this year.
Kiwanis Club, the event’s main sponsor, hopes the event continues to spread across the state.
“When you do stuff like this, you change people’s hearts,” said Weight. "When you change hearts, you change systems — and that’s what we’re doing."