Share and Follow
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – On Friday, students from Bloomingdale and Newsome High Schools celebrated the 10th anniversary of the IncrediBULL Games, an event dedicated to fostering inclusivity and joy among students.
This event is one of four hosted by Hillsborough County specifically designed for students enrolled in the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) program. As the world turns its attention to the Winter Olympics in Italy, Hillsborough County is hosting its own version, where nearly 600 ESE students participated in a range of activities from soccer games to track races.
The day was marked by a spirit of unity and inclusion, bringing smiles to the faces of students, teachers, and parents alike. The event underscored the county’s commitment to creating an environment where every student feels celebrated and valued.
David Rammelkamp, whose child participated in the games, expressed the importance of such events, saying, “Having a child with a disability, many people don’t realize the challenges we face. To see the public school system embrace them and organize something that honors their achievements brings a sense of joy and acceptance within the community.”
“Having a child that has a disability, a lot of people don’t understand the struggles that we go through and to see the public school system accept them and do something to celebrate them, it gives them like a sense of joy and acceptance within the community,” said David Rammelkamp.
During the games, ESE and non-ESE students teamed up to enjoy soccer events, track and field, relays, and wheelchair races.
“We have 590 athletes from various schools that are here today competing in the games. What we do is we assign a buddy to them, so they have a one-on-one person that is here to just make sure they can navigate the facilities, be at their events on time, and make sure they have a great time. That’s what this event is all about,” said Marcos Rodriguez, Principal at Bloomingdale High School.
It is days like this that bring tears to the eyes of David Rammelkamp, who has a daughter, Jaylan, that is in 11th grade with down syndrome.
“It tears me up, because like I said, the acceptance, because there wasn’t always acceptance for children with disabilities, they were always pushed to the corner. Celebrating them shows them that they are accepted in today’s society,” he said.
On top of the Special Olympic events, they also had an Olympic Village on their tennis courts where clubs from both rival high schools held carnival games.
“The value an individual has from recognizing that someone else values what they do, the work they do, and who they are does nothing but build their confidence, encourages them to do better. Do better in school and in life and that’s what we’re here to do,” said Patti Rendon, Hillsborough County School Board.
It’s a day each year that every student counts down to.
“This is by far one of the best events of the school year for me, every time I come out here and am around these student athletes, you can’t help but to put a smile on your face,” Rodriguez said.
School leaders said that as soon as the event is over, their students are already planning which events they want to be a part of next year, and how they plan to go for the Gold.