The Sparkle Effect
This project's parent organization is THE SPARKLE EFFECT
It operates in United States
It uses Adapted sports, Dance, Multiple sports
Entered the Sport for Equality Award
More about The Sparkle Effect
Over five million students with disabilities attend public schools in the United States; yet, most school sports and activities fail to accommodate these students. As a result, students with disabilities are often sidelined -- excluded from school sports and the critical social opportunities they offer.
Since 2009, The Sparkle Effect has been helping schools nationwide create school-based cheer teams that include students with and without disabilities practicing and performing as one team.
The result: students with disabilities experience true acceptance as they, alongside their peers, become passionate leaders that inspire entire communities to embrace inclusion. Participation on a Sparkle Effect team results in better school attendance and higher grades. Our participants are also more likely to eventually join additional extracurricular clubs, like drama, newspaper, chorus, and band. Why? Because inclusion is not so much an activity as it is a way of thinking. By giving students opportunities to break down social barriers, we create harmony among classmates, encourage students with disabilities to join more activities, and foster a culture that celebrates all abilities.