Students at École Stonewall Centennial School recently experienced a different perspective in physical education after partnering with the Manitoba Wheelchair Sports Association (MWSA) for a hands-on learning opportunity focused on inclusion, opportunity and fun.
Physical education teacher Jodi Bodnarchuk has brought the initiative to the school for several years, and over the past four years has worked closely with Grade 8 student Amaya Dawson to help lead the program.
Dawson was injured in a vehicle accident in 2020 that damaged her spinal cord, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down. Since then, she has become a leader in helping shape a more inclusive phys-ed environment at the school.
The program introduces wheelchair sports to all students while supporting classmates with mobility challenges who may find it difficult to participate in traditional activities.
Bodnarchuk said offering a diverse physical education program helps ensure every student can discover an activity they enjoy and build habits that support lifelong physical activity.
Students with mobility issues — including those who do not use wheelchairs — can sometimes miss out on physical education activities, limiting opportunities to develop skills alongside their peers. The sessions aim to remove those barriers.
Dawson plays an active role in helping teach the classes, sharing her experience maneuvering and navigating a wheelchair. Her leadership gives classmates valuable perspective while building confidence and understanding throughout the school community.
The Manitoba Wheelchair Sports Association also hosts recreational wheelchair basketball nights Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Sundays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Sport for Life Centre, 145 Pacific Ave. in Winnipeg. The sessions are open to anyone interested in trying wheelchair basketball. More information is available at mwsa.ca.
