Two teachers faced off in a contest to see which one could hula-hoop the longest. Students watched with growing concern. One of the hula hoops had flashing lights but the other was rather ordinary. The students gravitated toward the cool hula hoop in a tight, awestruck pack until one interjected, "Wait! Do you think you should take turns with the flashing one?"
That student was demonstrating a new skill related to the lesson- "Winning and Losing: Exhibiting Good Sportsmanship." Students spent most of the hour enjoying friendly competition while honing skills like being an encourager, being a fun player, being a helper, and being gracious in victory or defeat. They were consumed with hula hoops, relay races, and bean bag tosses but the biggest wins were audible- "Good try!" "So close!" and "Would you like a hug?"
Sportsmanship and social interaction are harder for these students, who are on the Autism spectrum. Through participation in an enrichment program designed just for them, students got a helping hand in improving their interactions. Other units helped in initiating and holding conversation, adjusting to environments, exploring and coping with emotions and understanding and adapting to change.
This program was the very first project supported by the Shirleyanne Wynant Fund for Mental Health, a fund created by Bob Wynant with the remains of his sister's pension fund. His choice to invest funds to honor her created a legacy of helping youth who face interpersonal challenges or who struggle with mental wellness that continues each year. Thanks to Bob and Shirley, unused pension funds have been transformed into vital social skills for kids who work hard to play well.