On Nov. 7, BVH hosts a soccer tournament for special education students, drawing a large crowd of enthusiastic students, parents and teachers. In order to celebrate skill, collaboration, and community, everyone unites to support these athletes in a day full of energy and excitement.
These events are held with many opportunities of social interactions between students, fundraising for the special education students and to promote a safe and uplifting environment for students to have fun. Baron Buddies Senior Manager, Tyler Maula, shares the purpose of this event and his take on how it affects these students.
“We [special education department] decided to hold this event because it is an annual tradition for BVH and we do this to promote unity throughout the whole special education program,” Maula said. “These students love to come out, be competitive and play sports. Overall, it is a really memorable experience for them.”
The event provides more than just an opportunity for students to display their athletic abilities; it also serves as a chance to bring the entire school community together. From coordinating the schedule and recruiting volunteers to preparing the event space and organizing fundraising efforts, the behind-the-scenes teamwork is crucial to the success of the event. Effective communication and collaboration among various groups ensure that the event runs smoothly, remains accessible to all, and creates a positive experience for every participant. BVH Adaptive Physical Education teacher Colby Long shares the sole purpose of the plans.
“We [BVH’s Baron Buddies Advisor and Moderate teacher Keeran Rommyna and Baron Buddies Advisor, Darci Vomer Davies] have been planning this for months. The goal is to provide memorable experiences for the students. They enjoy it so much and we just want to leave them with happy memories from high school,” Long said.
Each member of the organizing team plays a vital role in making sure the event not only meets the students’ needs but also fosters a sense of unity across the school community. Whether it’s the volunteers who help facilitate the tournament or the staff members who manage logistics, everyone’s efforts are part of a collective goal: to provide a positive, inclusive experience for all participants.
“We [Rommyna and Davies] work closely together on this event. It is about bringing all these schools together to provide an opportunity for these kids to play soccer, see their friends from other schools, and have our school come out to support them,” Long said.
As part of the preparation, teams have spent weeks organizing various aspects of the event. Rommyna, coordinated the volunteers for referees and food stand coordinators. While BVH Davies focused on the food and fundraising portion. This shows the collaboration and effort it takes as a team to put this together.
“This event keeps growing, and that is something we are all excited about. Each year, we see more and more people getting involved—whether it’s students, parents, or community members—and that enthusiasm really helps make the event even more successful,” Long said.
The special education soccer competition is an important annual event that requires both staff and students to collaborate and communicate to set up booths, cheer and support, as well as to make sure that everything is organized. Each year this event grows even more where more students are included and participate in this event. As the Baron Buddie club grows as well it allows for my volunteers and help around this event.
“It’s amazing to see how it’s evolved and how much support we’ve gotten from so many different groups. We are all looking forward to what next year will bring and how we can continue to expand and improve it, creating an even bigger impact for everyone involved,” Long said.
The event, which has expanded to include a variety of sports over the years including basketball, soccer and softball, continues to be a highlight of the school year. For many students, it is a chance to not only compete but to forge lasting friendships with peers from other schools. It allows them to have core memories created during their highschool experience.
“Associate Student Body, custodians, Baron Buddies, and some other parent volunteers from the special education department all played crucial roles in helping set everything up for the event. They were not only involved in the physical setup, but also contributed to the coordination efforts, ensuring everything ran smoothly,” Clark said.
The continued growth of the event reflects not only the increasing interest and enthusiasm of the students but also the strengthened bonds between all those involved. As the event has expanded, so too has the sense of pride within the school. With such strong communication and teamwork at its core, this event is not only a celebration of athleticism but also a reminder of the power of community and collaboration. It is the collective effort of the school community that ensures this event will continue to thrive for years to come.
“Ultimately this event is to provide memorable experiences,” Maula said. “A lot of the students enjoy it so much. All we are trying to do is leave off with really fun and happy memories throughout high school.”
