EATON RAPIDS, Mich — Students with special needs at Union Street Center are participating in an adaptive physical education program designed to teach healthy, active lifestyles regardless of ability level. The program, led by teacher Taylor Jackson, has received four grants over the past three years to expand equipment, activities and educational resources.
- The adaptive PE program serves students at five Eaton County schools, with classes tailored to meet individual needs using specialized equipment like button-activated ball launchers and wheelchair racing activities.
- Grant funding has allowed the program to expand beyond the gymnasium into community-based recreation, teaching students to use public parks, pickle ball courts, malls for walking, and public gyms and pools.
- Students and staff report high engagement and enthusiasm for the program, with participants learning valuable life skills about maintaining active lifestyles outside of school settings.
Jackson teaches adaptive PE at five Eaton County schools, with Friday's class focusing on transition students — adults with special needs learning life skills. The program emphasizes how to continue athletics outside of school.
WATCH: Eaton County Adaptive PE Program Teaches Special Needs Students Active Lifestyles
"The biggest thing is just teaching students how to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle," Jackson said.
The grants have provided opportunities to take classes into the community for recreation-based learning. Students have learned to use parks like Delta Mills and pickle ball courts, take walks at malls, and visit public gyms and pools.
"And so depending on the group I really tailor it to meet the needs for the kids. So I might use buttons to push things which will make a ball fly or we might be doing a wheel chair race because I have classes that are all wheel chairs," Jackson said.
Students Aidreana Childs and Gabe Johnson said they enjoy participating in the activities.
"I like gym a lot, I like playing basketball," Childs said.
"I like to help others, learn how to do other things," Johnson said.
Kristin Six, an aide at Union Street Center, said she has been happy to see the program advance.
"It's been a great experience that they get to learn that outside of school we don't have gym class but we can go to the park with our friends and play pickle ball," Six said.
Jackson said student engagement over the past few years has been positive.
"They're excited to come down, I walk in the room and it's all cheers because they get to go play some games," Jackson said.
"We are going into the community more and doing community based rec," Jackson said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want more FOX 47 News? Here's how you download our Roku app
You can also see the latest news from across our mid-Michigan neighborhoods by liking us on Facebook or following us on X.
