Grand Island Senior High, (Grand Island Public School, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND — Grand Island Senior High (GISH) is pleased to announce the Islanders will be hosting a landmark event next week in the realms of athletics, student connections, and achievements.
On Thursday, April 25th, at Memorial Stadium, at 2:30 p.m. the GISH Unified Track & Field Team will be hosting one of central Nebraska’s first Unified only track meets. The Islanders will welcome Kearney Unified, Columbus Unified, and North Platte Unified to join the friendly competition in true invitational fashion.
“One of our goals in these last six years has been to host our own home track meet.” Andrea Hill, GISH Unified Track & Field Coach, said, “I am so excited that next Thursday we are doing just that! We want G-I nation and the community to know this is going to be a very special event.”
Six years ago the GISH Unified Track & Field Team was born as an effort to bring more extracurricular opportunities to students that normally would not have them. The “unified” speaks to the exclusive opportunity to partner students with intellectual disabilities with student athletes without intellectual disabilities for training and competition in a vibrant, supportive environment. Throughout the last six years, GISH has seen the Unified Track & Field program grow in numbers and community support.
“I love this so much because our students on this team have become so close throughout this whole process, and that’s what it’s all about.” Hill continued, “It’s training together and playing together that creates a quick path of friendship and understanding.”
Hosting the first annual GISH Unified Track & Field Invitational is the next step in supporting this thriving program. Because inclusion always wins.
The four events featured at next Thursday’s Unified Track & Field Meet will be:
- Long Jump
- Shot Put
- 100 Meter Dash
- 4×100 Meter Relay
The Grand Island community is invited to take-in the Unified Track Meet to fill the stands and cheer on the students competing from all four schools.
