News

District 97 Team Excels at Special Olympics Bocce Ball Tournament

September 26, 2012

On September 15, 2012, the District 97 Special Olympics bocce ball team, which is comprised of current and former students from Brooks and Julian middle schools, competed in its first bocce ball tournament. The students participated in team and doubles competitions, and also played on traditional and unified teams (unified teams consists of one individual with a disability and one without). Jenna Ricks from Brooks, and Emma Romine from Julian qualified for the state competition in June by taking first place in the doubles competition, as well as in the team competition with classmates Jack Butler and Ben Newbury from Brooks. The unified team of Kayla and Lawrence Landfair from Brooks and former Julian students Ryan and Austin Gravely also took first place and qualified for state.

Other notable performances included second place finishes by Brooks students Chloe Smith and Allison Wenzloff, Julian student Paul Ivery and former Brooks student Lorenzo DiNuzzo; and fourth place finishes by Lauryn Kenny, Morgan and Bailey Figgins, and Kaitlin Kent, who all go to Brooks. The team was coached by Brooks teachers Susan Hoyer, Jordan Kripton and Tim McDonald, who were assisted by several community volunteers.

Congratulations to all of these outstanding athletes on their accomplishments at the tournament, and best of luck to the students who will be participating in the state competition in June.