Colin Hogan is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Liberty High School for AZPreps365.com

The final class of the day can typically be a time when students stare at the clock waiting for the school day to end — but not in Liberty’s Unified Sports class. 

Liberty’s Unified Sports class is an engaging experience that brings together both students in general and special education through activities and sports. The fifth-period elective offers a time for these students to interact with each other and strengthen their social and physical skills.  

“You can tell people what acceptance is or the definition of inclusion,” Liberty’s Unified Sports coach Jessi Wilk said. “But for our students to be able to experience it and see it firsthand, that is how you teach it and that is how you show it."

Wilk is now in her 14th year of teaching at Liberty and has dedicated a lot of her time at Liberty growing its Unified Sports program. 

Over the years, Wilk has put together intramural basketball games at Liberty and hosted the school's first-ever unified track meet on Feb. 27. Unlike its intramural basketball games, the track meet played host to Sunrise Moutain and Raymond S. Kellis. 

Liberty’s Unified Sports events are a hot commodity around the school. Two years ago, a clip from their intramural basketball went viral after an athlete drilled a half-court buzzer-beater to send the crowd into a frenzy.

“I think anybody that goes to these events whether it is admin, teacher, or our students, it benefits everybody,” Wilk said.  

As the director of Unified Sports at Liberty, Wilk has spent over a decade growing its Unified Sports program but also credits the kids for all the great work they have done. 

“When our students are walking through the halls or hanging out at lunch they all get met with high fives and hellos,” Wilk said. “I think that is just so cool.”

Junior partner Cooper Byrne, who wants to be a special needs pastor after graduation, said she loves the community that the class creates. 

“I think this class gives the athletes the opportunity to work with a lot of students that they normally would not see throughout the day,” Byrne said. “It is really important that they get these opportunities to really work on their social skills.”

Byrne’s younger brother, Hawke, is an athlete in the class which makes it all that much more enjoyable for her. 

“I love that I get to spend time with my brother and grow our relationship,” Cooper Byrne said. 

Junior partner Aubrey Pulaski, who is in her third semester of Unified Sports, said she hopes to continue to participate in the class through graduation. Pulaski's younger brother was born with Down syndrome and said she has fallen in love with the special needs community ever since. 

“Having this on our school’s campus really helps to make everyone feel included,” Pulaski said. 

Wilk said Liberty’s Unified Sports has left a lasting impact on many students. The opportunities and memories that it has created have opened the eyes of so many to show that even though an individual may have a disability they are not too different from everybody else. 

“I feel like being able to make them feel special and make them realize there is stuff out there for them and that they can be just as competitive as us is so impactful,” Pulaski said.