ROANOKE, Va. – It was a big morning full of smiles in Roanoke as VCU basketball players spent the day with students from Minnick Schools for their annual Mini Olympics.
Elementary through high school students paired up with VCU players to compete in relays, skill stations and an autograph circle.
Players ran quick drills, cheered every made basket and signed basketballs after the games. Big grins, high fives were aplenty, the kind of encouragement that sticks with you.
Encircle’s Minnick Schools serve students ages five to 22 with atuism and other developmental challenges, and these Mini Olympics are one of several ways staff reconnect students to school through movement and teamwork.