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Purple Pride team competes at Special Olympic Spring Games at West Point

| 07 May 2014 | 02:44
    Photo provided by Dana Schackman Members of the Monroe-Woodbury Purple Pride team who competed at the Special Olympic Spring Games held April 26 on the campus of the United States Military Academy at West Point are, kneeling: Max Popelsky, Erin Donnelly and Miriam Gomez; first row: Shannon Murphy, Eli Slater, Andrew Weinert, Shannon Mezzasalma, Kaitlin Schaffer, Valeyne Murray, Michaela Torres, Morrie Jabbour, JK Kazlaukas and Ariana Feliciano; second row: Alaeden Rabie, Fiona Debold, Cayla Ali, Farah Hammid, Kathleen Dowling, Matthew LaFace, Alan Aguilar and Ricky Kirchoff; and back row: Dan Lee, Matt Stenson, Dylan Mason, Chris Tolan, Nicole Sountis, Nick DeBoer and Joseph Franklin.
    Photo provided by Dana Schackman Members of the Monroe-Woodbury Purple Pride team who competed at the Special Olympic Spring Games held April 26 on the campus of the United States Military Academy at West Point are, kneeling: Max Popelsky, Erin Donnelly and Miriam Gomez; first row: Shannon Murphy, Eli Slater, Andrew Weinert, Shannon Mezzasalma, Kaitlin Schaffer, Valeyne Murray, Michaela Torres, Morrie Jabbour, JK Kazlaukas and Ariana Feliciano; second row: Alaeden Rabie, Fiona Debold, Cayla Ali, Farah Hammid, Kathleen Dowling, Matthew LaFace, Alan Aguilar and Ricky Kirchoff; and back row: Dan Lee, Matt Stenson, Dylan Mason, Chris Tolan, Nicole Sountis, Nick DeBoer and Joseph Franklin.

WEST POINT — On April 26, 28 Monroe-Woodbury Middle and High School students competed at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the annual Special Olympic Spring Games.

Student athletes from across the mid-Hudson area came together for a day of track and field competition and recognition for the special young people they are.

"This was a wonderful day where students, coaches, West Point cadets, family and friends gathered and celebrated individual differences," said Dana Schackman, a physical education teacher in Middle School and one of the organizers of the Purple Pride team. "It was an amazing day for all involved. This was a sporting event at its best and a day for our athletes to gain confidence, camaraderie and build positive self-image through sports."