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High Road athletes train for Special Olympics

High Road School students practiced their running and throwing in preparation for this weekend's Special Olympics track meet at Prospect High School.

  Bryce Watts, front, and Diego Lopez, both students from High Road School, practice at Maple Trail Park for this weekend’s Special Olympics in Mount Prospect. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com

Under the direction of the school's Special Olympics Head Coach and Physical Education teacher Pat Hurst, the athletes ran a series of sprints, then practiced throwing a softball in a shot-put style motion at Maple Trail Park near the school. One athlete, Peter Fleming, who would have the honor of carrying the torch at the Special Olympics event, also practiced throwing a plastic javelin in preparation for that event.

  Luis Gomez throws a softball as Pat Hurst, head coach of the Special Olympics team and the physical education teacher at High Road School, supervises practice at Maple Trail Park for this weekend’s Special Olympics in Mount Prospect. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Pat Hurst, Special Olympics head coach and the physical education teacher at High Road School, leads students as they practice at Maple Trail Park for this weekend’s Special Olympics in Mount Prospect. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com

“For us to partner with the Special Olympics is a great point of pride for our school, and the children and their parents,” said Theresa Smith, regional vice president of SESI, which runs the High Road School.

  Luis Gomez throws a softball as Pat Hurst, head coach of the Special Olympics team and the physical education teacher at High Road School, supervises practice at Maple Trail Park for this weekend’s Special Olympics in Mount Prospect. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Peter Fleming, a student from High Road School, runs while practicing at Maple Trail Park for this weekend’s Special Olympics in Mount Prospect. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Bryan Lopez, left, and Alex Arroyo are among the students from High Road School practicing at Maple Trail Park for this weekend’s Special Olympics in Mount Prospect.

High Road School started out as a residential treatment center in Palatine 40 years ago, later moved to Des Plaines, and became a therapeutic day school in Mount Prospect in 2012.

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