Fletke said it’s like magic watching the students interact with each other. “This group of Linkers is just a really great group of students. They are giving up an hour of their day to help other students and it really makes a difference,” he said.
TKHS senior Izzy Schilthroat said she loves the adaptive PE class. “This class is so different from any of my other classes. It really helps me learn how to deal with other people, provide comfort and help with stress. It’s a great experience for me.”
Each Linker partners with a student with special needs. This day, the Linkers reinforced proper ways for students to pass a basketball to each other, dribble, take a layup, and shoot the ball from other areas on the court.
“We just help give them a normal gym class like anyone else would have,” said Schilthroat. “It’s really just like a group of friends getting together here.”
Sophomore Ellie Harmon said she is also glad she is part of the Linkers class. “It makes you realize that some people don’t have the same abilities that others have, and it makes you feel good to help them so they can play basketball or do other sports. It’s fun and it makes you feel good to be able to help someone else.”
Fletke said gen ed students learn patience, build friendships, and help make all students feel included and part of the high school experience. “They all feel like they are part of this school and everything that goes on here. It really is an incredible experience for our gen ed students. They can see what it means to these kids to be able to play games and feel included.”
Sophomore Brody Hammer agreed. “It’s fun for me to watch them have fun. They get excited when they make a basket or learn they can do something. You see their improvements and it just makes you feel good. This is my favorite class of the day - without a doubt,” said Hammer.
The friendships, he said, are real and don’t disappear after the 50-minute class. “Sometimes I sit at lunch with the student I’ve been working with and sometimes he comes and sits with me and my friends. You see them in the hall, and they give you a big hug or a high five. It’s cool - it’s really cool. Everybody belongs here.”