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This year Shawnee Mission East became the first Shawnee Mission High School to earn the Kansas State High School Activities Association Unified Bowling championship title.
Sherry Dumolien, director of special education, recently caught up with the winning team to help kick off January’s Read Across SMSD theme: Explore Societal Forces. She talked to several Lancer team members about their championship experience and how one of the best parts of their experience was that it was available to everyone. Unified Bowling brings students of all abilities together to compete.
The elementary book this January is “Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky” By Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond.
It highlights the long and painful journey it took for blue dyes and powders to be available to everyone. Now, we all can experience the color blue in everything from music, to clothing, to first-place ribbons.
Not only is Unified Bowling for everyone, but the championship team’s color just happens to be blue.
Blake Danforth, a sophomore and state championship athlete, highlighted how Unified Bowling brings together students of all abilities to compete together.
“It’s also for people who want to have fun and hang out,” Blake shared.
The team was successful because they approached this journey with the best energy and teamwork, Meredith Ainslie, senior and state champion athlete shared.
But by far, the best part of being on the team was that it brought everyone together, Mason Craven, senior and state champion athlete shared.
“That championship and seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces is something I will remember,” he added.
January Reading Resources
Read Across SMSD is modeled after the national Read Across America program and is led in partnership with NEA-Shawnee Mission. Access to books for Shawnee Mission students is made possible through the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation.
Here are the Read Across America January titles, encouraging readers to “Explore Societal Forces.”
"Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky"
By Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond
Click here to learn more.
“The Last Mapmaker"
By Christina Soontornvat
Click here to learn more.
"All My Rage"
By Sabaa Tahir
Click here to learn more.
The links above provide activity ideas, discussion ideas, reflective writing questions, and related resources for more titles to try for each age group.
Click here to find out more and participate in Read Across SMSD. Post your participation on social media using #ReadAcrossSMSD.
