For the last 11 years in early fall, the PEP Prentiss Autism Center community has come together to cheer on students participating in America’s favorite pastime. For many of the students at PEP Prentiss, which serves young people with autism or other complex developmental disabilities, it is their only opportunity to play football with their friends and classmates.
It’s a special day for the students, not only because it provides a fun opportunity to play a sport, but also because it provides them with positive mental health experiences. The activities on the field with their teachers and classmates like catching and holding on to the ball, running for the goal line, and following directions, create real opportunities for cooperation, camaraderie, and pride.
This was especially true for a student named Jordan. David Weiss, an occupational therapist at PEP Prentiss who organizes the game each year, said of Jordan that the Super Bowl was “the first time he ever wanted to participate in a big event.”
The game was also fun for the crowd on the sidelines, made up of other PEP Prentiss students, staff, and family members who stopped by to cheer on the athletes.
This year’s Super Bowl had a special guest--Brook Park Mayor Edward Orcutt, who started off the game by performing the official coin toss. Orcutt then stayed to cheer on the athletes, and even went out for a pass after the game.
Orcutt has created a partnership between the City of Brook Park and PEP Prentiss, offering volunteer opportunities at the community center and access to the Safety Town facility run by the city.
Orcutt expressed sincere joy at the game, smiling and saying, “It helps me to be with these kids.”