e students with handicaps were into the game, as fans. Up until about two minutes before halftime and then again two minutes into the third quarter the physically handicapped students found their way out into the gym and watched the game from right near the student section. They were cheering just like any other students and they were there participating in a big social event. When I was playing in those games, I don't remember seeing any students with disabilities in the gym. But after taking this class I think that it is great that those students were. Those games are something that any student would want to be a part of and that includes students with disabilities. It's a shame that the gym at my old school isn't handicap accessible. The administrator that I talked to steered me to the bake sale and also told me, via fax, about some of the other functions of the Rooster Buddies. Upper class members of the club are enlisted to attend the pre-school orientation for incoming freshmen and help to ease handicapped students transition before school even starts. Also, handicapped students are assigned a Rooster Buddy during every lunch period. Rooster Buddies are instructed to bring their handicapped friends to where ever they normally eat. This simple form of inclusion makes a BIG difference in helping handicapped students assimilate socially a little better. That is an interaction that normally wouldn't happen. Often times, especially in high school, students who are "different", whether physically handicapped or not, are often ostracized. Again, I didn't see one of these lunch sessions, but I could see by the way that the students interacted at the game that they looked at the students with handicaps as peers. I realize that I didn't get the real in-depth experience that was envisioned for this assignment but I did find what I saw really interesting. I know that just four short years ago they didn't have the buddy program at that scho...
