News

Students from Lee University’s Helen DeVos College of Education (HDCOE) recently hosted the first annual Fall Field Day, an event for children ages five and up with exceptional needs to participate in outdoor activities.

The event was run by the HDCOE special education benevolence class, led by associate professor Dr. Kimberly Moffett. The two-hour event, held on the new Ray Conn Sports Complex on Lee’s campus, featured different physical activities including soccer, bowling, and freeze tag.

“I was very pleased and excited to see how our students, who are going to be special ed teachers, immediately took to engaging with the participan ts,” said Moffett. “The students will have plenty of opportunity to meet with kids in the schoolroom as they progress through their education, but I wanted to give them the chance to see the kids as kids first, and what better way to see a true kid than put them in an activity where they get to play?”

According to Moffett, many kids with special needs do not have activities outside of school that they can do in a group setting. The Field Day provided a time for parents to drop their kids off for a fun and structured afternoon.

“As a mom of a child with exceptional needs, one of the most necessary events needed is respite care,” said parent Michele Adkins. “We can take that deep breath, spend that time with our other loved ones uninterrupted, and our exceptional needs kids also get some independence and social interaction away from their parents. This community is often overlooked, and for Lee to offer a Field Day is a tremendously rare opportunity that improves the quality of lives of parents, siblings, and exceptional children themselves.”

This event marks the first Fall Field Day, which will be held annually in October.

“The Fall Field Day reminded me why I am going to college in the first place,” said Lee special education major Anna Loy. “Spending time with the students of our community shined a light on how important it is to connect and grow alongside children.”

The Lee University Benevolence course offers students an introduction to various aspects of service from a Christian perspective. Special attention is given to introducing students to biblical and theological themes that address issues of benevolence, exploring the integration of vocation and service to others, offering students concrete ways of serving the needs of others in their communities and the world, and relating the c ontent of the course with the larger service requirement for all Lee University students.

For more information about Fall Field Day, contact Moffett at [email protected] or call (423) 614-8672.