Exciting Unified Track Meet!

Groton-Dunstable and North Middlesex unified track and field teams competed on Thursday, April 16 at the GDRHS track. The exciting meet included 29 athletes, 18 from G-D and nine from NM and their respective partners.

In unified track meets, high school partners and athletes compete in several track and field events including the 100 meter dash, 400 meter dash, 4×100 meter relay, shot put, javelin and long jump.

There are no final team results only individual accomplishments. The outcomes are used for seeding the championship meet. But the intensity and effort is always 100%.

"The kids seem so happy, and I wanted to get involved and hopefully keep them engaged and enjoying themselves while learning life skills," said Groton-Dunstable senior partner Kathryn Horrigan.

Schools in states throughout the country as well as many Mid-Wachusett League schools have extensive Unified T&F programs.

The Gateway Program in which North Middlesex and Groton-Dunstable participate, provides students between ages 18 and 22 with opportunities to explore and develop individual abilities with a focus on functional academics, vocational, social/emotional, and life skills.  Through academic coursework, supervised employment settings and community-based social activities, students engage in real-life experiences to foster increased independence and self-reliance.

Opportunities to meet regularly, eat and bowl together are part of the social development.

The enthusiasm of parents and athletes was infectious with participants from both schools enthusiastically cheering for one another.  

This is the third year both schools have participated in the unified T&F program thanks to the tireless effort by GD's Mary Desmond, Ann Valacer, Joyce Bennett and the staff at North Middlesex headed by Johanna Bilotta-Simone.

"It is so great to see how the kids thoroughly enjoy themselves," added G-D Athletic Director Mike McCaffrey.