Educate the Educators

Educate the Educators is a Midwest Adaptive Sports (MAS) program that brings disability awareness and adaptive sports education to schools throughout the Kansas City metro area. MAS members and adaptive athletes visit a school, speak with students and staff, and then invite anyone interested to try select adaptive sports firsthand. We do this because we believe people of every ability level should understand adaptive sports, know their benefits, and see that nearly any activity can be adapted for full participation. Our goal is to build awareness and skills among individuals and communities through culturally relevant education.

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The program is designed primarily for elementary, middle and high school physical education teachers, giving them practical strategies to increase knowledge, awareness, and inclusion for all students, with and without disabilities. It also connects students with disabilities to sports programs and accessible venues throughout the metro area. Educate the Educators has been requested by numerous school districts across the Greater Kansas City region.

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Each visit begins with an athlete with a disability sharing their personal story with students and staff. Sports wheelchairs are then provided so students, with and without disabilities, can play select sports together. A few volunteers are also invited to use a wheelchair during their lunch period, giving them a firsthand sense of the experience.