Five high schools in Northeast Ohio have a lot to cheer about this season. Lakewood, North Ridgeville, Dover, New Philadelphia, and Midview high schools have all received full sponsorship from The Cleveland Browns Foundation to support Sparkle Effect inclusive cheer teams! On Sparkle Effect teams, students with and without disabilities perform as one team throughout football and basketball season.

Sparkle Effect teams address an important challenge facing America’s schools: over five million students with disabilities attend public schools in the United States; yet, most school sports and activities are not designed to accommodate these students. Not surprisingly then, students with disabilities are often sidelined -- excluded from school sports and the critical social opportunities they offer.

As Sparkle Effect teams cheer together under the Friday night lights, they showcase a loud and public symbol of acceptance, forever changing a school’s culture to one that values diversity and kindness. The students on Sparkle Effect teams visibly relay a simple message: at our school, all students are respected and included, regardless of ability.

Read the source article at Clevelandbrowns.com