ISA Sports Day 2024
ISA’s Sports Day is a collaboration between ISA and the Van Koetsveld School. ISA hosts students with special needs to participate in a fun day of physical challenges and activities. This year, two ISA service clubs, Creating Smiles and Kids 4 Kids, joined together to organise the event, enlisting the help of other student volunteers. By the end of the day, students were exhausted, but full of joy!
Austin, a Grade 10 student and part of the Kids 4 Kids club, shared his experience: “My role for that day was to ensure that the children with the Van Koetsveld School had a fun-filled day. We assisted them when doing various activities – from sports, to arts and crafts. Overall, I had an amazing time being able to collaborate with Creating Smiles, another club at ISA, to be able to help put everything together. I felt even better during the event when I was able to engage with the children.”
When he was asked about the importance of the project, Austin said: “It was an easy decision to participate in the Sports Day as the purpose of Kids 4 Kids is to make a difference in the lives of children both inside and outside of the ISA community through service and action. I think that this partnership is important as it allows for a better connection between students within the community. This also allowed the club members to see the daily struggles of the students from the Van Koetsveld School, opening our eyes to being more empathetic towards those that might need additional assistance.”
On behalf of the Kids 4 Kids club and all the volunteers at the Sports Day, Austin invites members of the ISA community to join them next year. “If any member of the ISA community is interested in helping out for next year, I would highly recommend that they do. When helping to organise the event, you will get a chance to engage with the other students, parents, and teachers also helping out. When the event does take place, you can expect to have an amazing time working with the children for a fun-filled day.”
Isaura, a Grade 11 student and volunteer at the initiative, also shared her experience: “I truly enjoy dedicating my time to services like these where I am able to socialise, develop new skills and most importantly have fun! Special Olympics really stood out to me as not only a service programme but an incredible way to interact and bond with these wonderful children who may have certain needs and limitations. This experience for me had been a huge eye-opener on how these young precious innocent little kids have so much to offer. I interacted with all of them as their happiness and joy really intrigued me and made the whole process extremely fun.”
Isaura also reminds the community of how our mission is connected to impact initiatives: “As an international school full of diversity and acceptance, I feel that the partnership between this event is crucial to further push the development of social interactive skills, getting to know others from around the world and exploring different cultures and backgrounds along with the fact that no matter where you come from or who you are as a person, you should feel accepted for who you are besides all the differences.”
