Copyright AL.com
An Alabama high school recently added a sensory-friendly section to its football stands, and in the process, allowed several students and other members of the community to experience Friday night lights for the first time. Jacob Souder, who serves as a Buckhorn High School assistant principal as well as its athletic director, said the idea to create a sensory-friendly zone at the school’s football game first came from his wife and fellow educator, Katy Souder. She had the idea while planning an “honorary official” presentation for a Riverton Elementary School student with autism. Souder said they began to consider how the atmosphere of the game would impact the student, named Juliann, and what they could do to make it a more enjoyable environment for her. “When my wife found out that Juliann was going to be our honorary official, she began to think about where Juliann would sit after the ceremony and how we might better facilitate her experience,” said Souder. “The idea was birthed from there -- how we could facilitate a reserved section and helpful resources for those with sensory needs. We know of lots of folks who tend to avoid these type of activities for the challenges that come from being or having a family member with sensory sensitivity issues. Thus our goal was to provide an opportunity for these families to truly enjoy our ‘Friday Night Lights’ experience.” Souder said over the course of three weeks, he and his wife as well as several other educators worked to create a reserved sensory section in the stands and put together a packet of sensory tools. With the help of several community sponsors, they were able to give out free kits that included coloring pages, fidgets, Play-Doh, noise reduction ear buds, sunglasses, pamphlets for local agencies who provide resources for children with sensory needs and more. And while one student may have been the initial inspiration behind the idea, ultimately the sensory section and kits allowed many members of the community to enjoy their first football game, including a student at the intermediate school who got to see her brother perform with the marching band for the first time. Souder said they were astonished by how supportive the community as a whole was of the idea, and a post about the service on the Madison County Schools’ Facebook page received hundreds of likes and shares, including one from beloved Alabama meteorologist James Spann. The school plans to continue to offer the kits and keep the service going at football games and hopes to also expand it to other sports and performing arts events in the future. “We hadn’t truly recognized how many students (and their families) have never stepped foot in a Buckhorn Football game before, simply because it’s too loud or too crowded,” said Souder. “Our advocacy is designed to hopefully make it possible for all to attend.”
