LAYTON—Kids with and without disabilities were teeing off Thursday at Valley View Golf Course as they participated in Unified Golf. The program partners students in specialized education programs with peer tutors to not only have fun learning new sports but more importantly making friends and feeling included. More than 200 students from across the Davis School District took part in the event.

The Davis Education Foundation in partnership with Davis School District’s Healthy Lifestyles Department organized the golf day. It is one of several Unified Sports initiatives with the goal of promoting understanding and inclusion. It was sponsored by Rich Day Group, a Utah-based real estate investment firm.

“This is my first year in the role,” said Jenny Schow, special programs in the special education department. “I’ve been hearing about golf day all year long. We have classes in elementary, junior high and high school where peers come into the classroom and help with school work and other support.”

Unified sports is awesome, she said. “It gives the kids a chance to use what they’ve learned in class and have access to different sports activities.”

“Unified sports, especially golf, lets the kids be exposed to a different sport,” said Emilee Midget, a teacher in the special ed program. “It gives the peer tutors a chance to work with them in an active social setting. It’s just fun. It builds friendships. I love it. Anything that gets the kids interacting with everybody is a great thing.”

“I did it last year,” said Sabrina Walsh, a ninth grader in the special education class at Shoreline Junior High. “It was really fun so I’m doing it again.”

“It’s one of my favorite classes,” said peer tutor Charlotte Steed. “I like to help people and just chill with awesome people like Sabrina.”

“I love helping out,” said peer tutor Lily Oberholzer, a ninth grader at Shoreline. “I like being there for my peers and meeting new people.”

“It’s pretty fun,” said Emmett Buckley, an eighth grader in the special education program at Shoreline. “I did it last year. I danced in Aladdin and I’m in the choir too.”

Some of the peer tutors have been doing it since elementary school and have moved up into high school and continued to be a peer tutor, said Schow. “It has such a positive impact on both the athletes and the peer tutors. It’s neat to watch these kids shine and to see their compassion. They’re modeling for other students and even adults. For me that is really neat.”