Sports Challenge Gives Students a Chance to Shine

Scranton, Lackawanna County - Dozens of students with special needs got a chance to show off their skills at a special sports challenge Friday in Lackawanna County.

While inside the Riverfront Sports Complex, the students got a chance to take part in basketball relays and learn soccer skills just like any other kid.

"It's been a blast. It's so much fun and everything," Alexandria Rusnak of Crystal Lake said. "I've been dribbling balls, I ran, I played aliens."

For the seventh straight year, students from NEIU #19's transitional program called "Victory Village" have taken part in the sports challenge.

It brings together kids from more than ten districts to socialize, interact and most importantly, help them get skills to get ready for adult life.

"They love it. They love it. It's like special olympics for them," special education teacher Joan Murphy said. "They come and every year they say 'are we having it' and 'are we going to be able to put it on' and thanks to the NEIU we're able to put it on."

Zachary Townsend of Throop says he likes the sports challenge because he gets to meet new friends.

"I've been doing it for about three years, I've been coming here," Townsend said. "It's fun."

When the program started, only 35-40 kids took part. On Friday, the number of kids was 102.

"These kids are wonderful. They're no different than any other kids. They like to have fun. They like to be challenged and we love working with them," Coach Roger Jacobs said.

All of the students who took part in the sports challenge also gave back to their community. Their entrance fee into the event was a canned food item. All of the donations will be given to the United Neighborhood Centers in Scranton.