This past spring season was another success for Newtown High School’s Unified Sports program. It included the opportunity to send five students to Toronto, Canada for the Invitational Youth Games Tournament, several local events, and awards, and recognition for participants and their coach, Kathy Davey, who announced this summer that she is stepping down.

Jackie Magoon, Kai-li Davey, Sophia Spraggins, Logan Flynn, and Zach Calderbank were the athletes and partners that participated in the Toronto tournament. The Youth Games were held from May 14 to 17. Each day, Newtown played in a different tournament against numerous high schools from Canada, such as Avon View High School in Windsor, Nova Scotia and J Clarke Richardson Collegiate in Ajax, Ontario.

“One of the most amazing outcomes from the games was the close relationship we formed with a team from Nova Scotia. The coaches (Davey and the Nova Scotia coach) have remained in contact since the games concluded. A true testament to what Unified Sports teaches; the sport is the vehicle that develops a quick and lasting friendship,” NHS Unified student leader Kai-li Davey said.

“Going to Toronto was an amazing experience for me and the athletes that I went with. Newtown Unified supplies them with amazing opportunities that they wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. ... This is why our school’s program is so special,” Flynn said.

NHS Unified also participated in and held many of its own activities in Connecticut, such as the Super Hero Volleyball Tournament at Shepaug High School vs Shepaug and Nonnewaug, and a track and field meet at Blue and Gold Stadium with five teams and over 160 athletes.

The spring season was brought to an end with the annual Connecticut Law Enforcement Torch Run. The Torch Run is part of the Special Olympics and lasts three days. Most towns in the state of Connecticut bring together their law enforcement and Special Olympics athletes to carry the “Flame of Hope” symbolically into the Opening Ceremony of local competitions, and into Special Olympics State, Provincial, National, Regional, and World Games. In Newtown, the torch is carried for a mile, from Saint Rose of Lima Church to the Blue Colony Diner, and once the run is completed the next town begins theirs as a way of uniting the towns and programs together.

“Unified sports is a program that brings together those with and without disabilities for an active way to make new friends and grow as an individual. The most important thing I have learned about this program is the importance of inclusion. Choosing to include, which is what unified is about, can bring happiness to so many people. Not only are you opening your arms to other people, but you are also allowing others to make new friends and come out of their shell,” NHS Unified Student Leader Faith O’Hara said.

O’Hara is an active member of Unified Sports and was chosen both last year and this year to go to the New England Student Leadership Conference to represent Newtown’s Unified Program. Last year she had gone with athlete Sophia Spraggins, while accompanying her this year will be another student leader, Abby Grenier.

Multiple awards have also been given to NHS athletes and partners who are a part of the program. The CIAC Michael’s Cup One Athlete/One Partner Teammate Award was given to Jesse Viesto and Brianna Linden for their respect and positive outlook they have for the team. The South-West Conference Unified Sports One Athlete & One Partner Leadership Award was given to Matthew Vigneau and Kai-li Davey for their dedication, service, and continued commitment to the team. The Gregg Simon Founders Award was given to Becca DiDomizio, Timmy Rogers, Izzy Mawdsley, and Robbie Morrill for their dedication and leadership in the program. The CIAC 2018-19 Unified Sports Coach of the Year was given to Coach Kathy Davey.

“I can honestly say, the award is a reflection of the program, what it has accomplished in the school and in the state and all the students involved,” Davey said.

Kathy Davey will no longer be coaching Unified Sports. She founded and developed the program at Newtown High School in 2013, and during the six years Davey has promoted inclusion by having the team present at CIAC basketball championship at Mohegan Sun, as well as having the team play at halftime. Davey attended coaches’ trainings to share her expertise and enthusiasm with other coaches, hosted tournaments each season, and presented breakout sessions at multiple high school and middle school youth summits.

“Coach Davey was amazing. No one will be able to run a whole program and coach a team as well as she does. Our teams were pretty big, and she found a way to know every athlete or partner on a personal level. She made everyone feel included and like they belonged. You can not get that from just anyone,” O’Hara said.

Newtown Unified Sports team members are Emily Brown, Caroline Cassetta, Carly Decker, Mark DeLoughy, William Eagleson, Ben Ismail, Nora Kliczewski, Carlo Marano, Jessica Visca, Frank Welber, Zachary Calderbank, Jillian Clure, Jordan D’Amico, Victoria Duarte, Brynn Riley, Emi Rosenthal, Sarah Savinelli, Luke Steimel, Caroline Tousignant, Danielle Vigneau, Nolan Adis, Jessica Andreotta, Bryan Bailey, Marisa Choi, Kieran Coffey, Miles Dievert, Gwendolyn Drew, Ryan Farrell, Ashleigh Garrity, Abigail Grenier, Patrick Grover, Brianna Harrick, Faith Klass, Dani Lewis, Faith O’Hara, Duncan O’Leary, Jake Pare, Sarah Payne, Madeline Rose, Ben Selner, Carlie Smith, Olivia Steare, Matthew Vigneau, Alexandra Chatzikonstantinou, Kai-li Davey, Rebecca DiDomizio, Georgia Filter, Garrett Fitzpatrick, Brianna Giglio, Malia Gioffre, Andrew Hsieh, Brianna Linden, Jaclyn Magoon, Dylin Marano, Nepa Morina, Jonathan Nowacki, Timothy Rogers, Nicholas Rose, Brian Smith, Sophia Spraggins, Emma Stampp, McKenna Timmons, and Jessica Viesto.