Middle School students recently worked firsthand with disabled athletes during a visit with representatives from the Bionic Project. Founded in 2018 by amputee Will Borden, the goal of the program was to create a more inclusive world for everyone, regardless of physical disability.  

Focused on the theme “we are all connected; community is essential,” the full-day program began with an assembly on topics such as inclusive behavior and language and media narratives around disabilities and assistive technology, as well as the reality that people with physical disabilities are among the most marginalized groups in the country. 

The day continued with adaptive sports clinics led by four instructors, two of whom are elite athletes with physical disabilities. The students learned to play soccer with crutches and were reminded that they had to have a good attitude and growth mindset. 

Dana Rogers, executive director of the Bionic Project, explained that the goal of the program is to normalize disabilities and to create connections with people of all ability types, while being coached by professionals who play on professional fields. “The students experience it [the disability] in their bodies and learn a new sport with different equipment and skills,” Ms. Rogers said. “We have hopefully expanded the notion of what a disability is and what an athlete looks like.”