SHELBY COUNTY, Ky. (WHAS11) - A packed football field isn't an unusual sight at a high school, but the Rocket Games aren't gathered just for the gridiron.
"It's a lot more than games. It's fellowship for the kids and the friendships they make,” Shelby County High School MSD Room Instructional Assistant Heather Cook said.
Every spring, Shelby County High School hosts the event. It’s a field day dedicated to making students with special needs feel like the shining stars they are.
"It's one of those days where it's all about them. They get to have fun, and we get to have fun with them and interact with such awesome kids,” Shelby County High School senior Keegan Martion said.
The games bring hundreds of students from dozens of district schools together. A handful of the volunteers do this kind of work all year-long.
"It's actually an internship program to get them ready for special education if that's something they want to follow as a career path,” Cook said.
The field day serves as an annual finale of sorts.
"The only disability you can have is a bad attitude,” Shelby County High School senior Shelby Smith said. "We just bring so many schools together to celebrate one thing that differences don't make you different."
There is plenty of year-long inspiration included, though.
"It helps us be open to people and be kind to everyone. It's awesome to see people you wouldn't expect to thrive in these situations,” Martion said.
From races to dancing with some free time and basketball in between, these games truly are a blast and taking inclusion to new heights.