Photo: Carl Stevens (WBZ)
LYNN, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Elementary school students with special needs took to Lynn High School's Manning Field for the 53rd annual Lynn Special Games Tuesday.
The kids had smiles on their faces as they played with giant Lego sets, hula hoops, moon bounces, bean bag tosses, lawn bowling, and other assorted games.
"I think the biggest piece is they’re out here on a field the high school kids compete on, so they’re somewhere where the typical kids are, so it makes them feel like they’re everybody else," paraprofessional Sean Doherty told WBZ NewsRadio.
The Lynn Special Games spans the entirety of the district's special education department. The event went on hold during the pandemic, but returned in 2022.
"You just can’t thank all the sponsors and all the people in the city, you know, they care about these kids," Doherty said. "That’s why so many of them stay in our system, because they know that we actually care about them and we put our best foot forward for whatever they need."
Tuesday's games kicked off with a passing of the torch ceremony by the Lynn Police Department, followed by a parade of students, educators, and parents around the field.
WBZ's Carl Stevens (@CarlWBZ) reports.