Madelynn Northcutt-Wyly, Period 6

Wheelchair Basketball League

http://www.kmov.com/story/31733542/middle-school-student-creates-wheelchair-basketball-league

In St. Louis, a science teacher, Ryan Boeckman, has his students come up with a project idea that is passionate to them and then develop that idea.  One of his seventh graders, Grace Meier, decided to create the only youth wheelchair basketball league in her region.  This Parkway Middle School student created this league and helped raise money for travel expenses.  She said, "I think it's really cool that even though they may not be just like us they still get a chance to do what we get to do." She ended up raising 3,000 dollars for her project.
Many sports have been modified to accommodate for the disabled.  With these parasports, the sports are modified to meet the needs of the person with the disability.  They divide the organized sports for the disability into three main categories; the deaf, the people with physical disabilities, and people with intellectual disability.  These sports help motivate and encourage the people with disabilities.  I think these organizations have helped with their rehabilitation.  Studies have shown that these sports provide many benefits including: less stress, more independence, higher achievement in education and employment, reduced dependency on pain and depression medication, and fewer secondary medical conditions.  I think that the community needs to recognize and help the organizations that are showing the disabled that they can do what they thought was impossible.