(Photo by Brett Dunlap) Around 400 special needs students were at Belpre High School’s Ralph Holder Stadium on Friday participating in the fifth annual Washington County Snack and Field Day. Special needs students and their aids got to participate in special field day events, including a lot of activities and games.

BELPRE – Students with special needs and disabilities from all over Washington County got the chance to get outside for a day of fun at Belpre High School.

The fifth annual Washington County Snack and Field Day was held at Ralph Holder Stadium on Friday where around 400 students with special needs, 120 support staff and others got to participate in a field day experience full of games and activities geared towards students with special needs who might not otherwise be able to participate in regular school field day activities.

“We are having an adaptive field day experience for the students in Washington County who receive special education services,” said Haley Bonar, an assistant principal at Belpre High School and one of the event organizers. “We welcome them here to have an adaptive, safe, sensory friendly field day.”

Participating students came from Belpre, Fort Frye, Waterford, Warren, Marietta, the Ewing School in Marietta, the REACH program and the New Story Schools from Albany, Ohio with students from kindergarten to 12th grade.

“When I taught at Belpre Elementary School and ran the autism unit this was the highlight for the end of the year for my class,” Bonar said. “That is why we felt so compelled to throw them a wonderful event.”

(Photo by Brett Dunlap) Russell Brooker, of Fort Frye High School, rides a special bike during activities Friday at the fifth annual Washington County Snack and Field Day held at Belpre High School.

The day had different stations where the kids could play games and do other activities, such as face painting, adaptive bowling, musical chairs, hula hoops, running, ring tosses, bike riding, water balloon fun, crafts and more. A lunch was provided with cookout and picnic foods.

“All of the activities that we had were all being run by Belpre High School students that volunteered their time,” Bonar said. “So many are juniors and seniors who don’t have to come to school on Friday and they chose to be here and give back to their community and show everyone what Belpre is all about.”

Bonar said there was a little bit of a competition going on involving the student helpers from the high school on who can be the best helper with a little prize awarded to the winner.

A Sunshine Award for a student from each school will be given during the Snack and Field Day. The award is given out to a student who embodies being a light to everyone around them, Bonar said.

“We wanted to make this a special event and show what Belpre could offer,” she said, adding the 3-D creations and textile class designed, printed and made all of the ribbons that were handed out.

(Photo by Brett Dunlap) James Sayres, of Marietta, got a snow cone during the fifth annual Washington County Snack and Field Day held at Belpre High School on Friday. Special needs students got to play games, do activities and had a lunch including a lot of cookout and picnic favorites.

“We tried to have as much of the Spirit of Belpre in everything that we do,” Bonar added.

Belpre High School senior AJ Varner said a lot of students from the high school helped to run the different activities for the kids.

“It is a lot of fun,” she said. “These kids are really competitive. It really is a lot of fun and it makes them all really happy too.

“You can tell that they are happy by everything they are doing.”

Varner said the whole day is about making these students happy.

(Photo by Brett Dunlap) David Meachem, of Belpre, takes a swing at a ball during a batting game during the fifth annual Washington County Snack and Field Day held for special needs students from Washington County on Friday at Belpre High School.

“It gives them something to do and gets them out of the classroom and gives them something fun to do,” she said. “It is fun and definitely rewarding to be able to work with them.”

Senior Samarra Wolfe said that Field Day was always her favorite part of elementary school

“Being one of the people to help bring that alive for other kids is just rewarding,” she said “It is fun to be able to play with them and seeing how happy it makes them is really fun.”

Many of the students had smiles on their faces throughout the day as they got to do a number of activities.

Belpre fifth-grader Johnathan Roach was beaming about being able to do most of the activities on the football field. His favorite activities were bowling and musical chairs.

(Photo by Brett Dunlap) Belpre fifth-grader Johnathan Roach blows bubbles during the fifth annual Washington County Snack and Field Day held for special needs students from Washington County on Friday at Belpre High School.

“With bowling I got some tips and tricks about it so the next time I go to the bowling alley I will be ready,” he said. “(During musical chairs) at the end I snuck a win.

“I honestly love field days so much. I want to go to every field day I can.”

(Photo by Brett Dunlap) Students with special needs from all over Washington County participated in the fifth annual Washington County Snack and Field Day on Friday at Belpre High School. In addition to games and activities, the students got to enjoy a lunch including many cookout and picnic favorites.

(Photo by Brett Dunlap) Students with special needs from all over Washington County participated in the fifth annual Washington County Snack and Field Day on Friday at Belpre High School. In addition to games and activities, the students got to enjoy a lunch including many cookout and picnic favorites.