Kids with special needs have a 'funner' time at Hersey's Olympics
About 300 children with special needs spent Tuesday playing games at a carnival-style event organized by John Hersey High School's Service Over Self club.
The Funner Olympics - which featured 50 booths, events and games throughout the school field house, side fields and tennis courts - is part of a tradition spanning nearly four decades at the Arlington Heights high school.
For 30 years, the service learning club hosted a track meet for students with special needs. Nine years ago, student leaders in Mark Gunther's leadership class suggested rebranding the event with a carnival theme. One student said, "Yeah, that would be funner," leading to the name change.
On Tuesday, each guest was matched with a high school student from Hersey or Buffalo Grove high schools. About 25 students from MacArthur Middle School in Prospect Heights also helped chaperone.