The Letter

November 20, 2013

Dr. Lillian M. Lowery

200 West Baltimore Street

Baltimore, MD 21201-2595

Dear Dr. Lowery,

            I wanted to bring to your attention, a program called Allied Sports, which is currently being run in Baltimore and Howard County. Allied Sports is a team made up of mentally and physically disabled students, who wouldn’t usually have a chance to play a sport in high school, to play sports such as soccer and bowling. It gives students and parents an opportunity to relax and have fun. It can easily be done at any high school by planning and having the right person in charge with the right attitude. Howard County was able to have a successful Allied Sports team by using what was done in Baltimore County and making it better. Allied Sports has separate funding, new uniforms, and different rules so that the mentally disabled students will not be too stressed out in the game.

            Allied Sports creates a soothing environment in which the mentally disabled students can enjoy playing sports. They are able to experience the high school experience. Many may say that mentally disabled students are able to have an experience in regular high school team, but if you think about, what do the students actually do on these teams. They may wear the uniforms, but you rarely see them out on the field. Also, studies show that autistic children do not do well in overly crowded loud places like in football stadiums. The Allied Sports teams are smaller, but more beneficial for the students. Not only do non-disabled students play on these teams, but regular athletes, giving all the students an opportunity to meet each other disabled or not. These teams will also help some of the mentally disabled students to integrate with other students in school.

            I believe that ALL high schools should have these Allied Sports teams, but these teams have to start from somewhere, so I write to you today to start this great program in ALL counties in Maryland. If there are other teams such as Allied Sports, I feel that all the teams should be under one program, so that the students will have an opportunity to play one another. Once all the counties come to know of this program, I know many other states may start to take part in this great program. It can be considered a miniature Special Olympics. It took one person to start the Special Olympics, I think because the program has already started, it should be easier to convince everyone else it is a great idea.

Sincerely,

Pariis Yi