PENDLETON — It was sportsmanship and teamwork at their finest.

Special Olympics Indiana and South Madison Community Schools partnered for the second straight year to play host to Unified Game Day.

More than 100 students from general education and special education classes at Pendleton Elementary, Pendleton Heights Middle School and Pendleton Heights High School participated in the event Thursday, May 23, in the Pendleton Heights gym.

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“The importance of (this event) is it allows our students with and without intellectual disabilities to practice together, train together and compete together and really have fun together,” said Julie Burkholder, Special Olympics Indiana regional manager. “It’s a part of life to be together, and this is a way for sports to bring them into that opportunity.”

Last year’s event took place on the high school’s track; this year, the event was moved inside due to weather concerns.

“Last year was the first year of the event,” said Lynn Mellinger, director of special education for South Madison Community School Corp. “It was really successful last year, and we wanted to do it this year, too, like other schools across the state.”

Mellinger said the event is much more than a competition.

“It’s about fostering friendships and kids with disabilities and kids without disabilities integrating and celebrating their successes.”

Students from kindergarten to seniors in high school participated in relay races and tennis ball tosses and danced along with each other to music played in between events.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Kyler Phipps, one of the athletes from the SMCSC special education programs. “The running is the best part.”

Phipps said he met some new friends, too, and looks forward to the games being an annual event.

“I like seeing the (general education kids) mixing with our kids and showing them love, acceptance and patience,” said Janet Niederhelman, an instructional assistant in the special education programs. “To me it shows there’s still good in the world instead of all the negative things you see. It helps you keep a positive perspective on society. To me it just warms my heart; I believe in the world, and I believe in people.”

For Kyus Gargett, an eighth-grader at Pendleton Heights Middle School, it was his first year to be involved with the event. He said it was a chance for him to give back.

“They’re all very special people, and they deserve a lot of love. Sometimes they don’t get that. I feel like when we’re here we help them,” Gargett said. “I love it. It makes me feel great. It makes me feel like I am doing something for people. When I do something for them or give them a high-five, I love seeing them smile and be so happy.”

High school senior Paiton Keeney said she has been involved with a number of programs, including Special Olympics, Unified Track and Best Buddies, an organization that creates opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She started working with Best Buddies when she was in middle school.

“I really love it because it’s inclusive,” Keeney said of her involvement in the programs. “(In Unified Track) the kids get to letter and they enjoy doing things with us that they typically wouldn’t get to do.”

Keeney admitted the enjoyment is inclusive, too.

“I think we have more fun, because we get to help them,” she said. “It’s heart-warming, not just fun. It’s fun to see how much fun they are having. It makes you happy to realize just your presence and you being here to help them makes them happy and means a lot to them, too.”