June 6, 2025

Dexter’s Unified Athletes Bring Home the Hardware

Bringing home medals with one athlete qualifying for the next level, the Dexter Unified Track and bocce team shone brightly in a recent Special Olympics competition at Central Michigan University.

Dexter had all of its Unified athletes medal while one qualified for the USA Special Olympics National meet in Minnesota.

“We are so excited and proud of our students!” Dexter High Special Education teacher Kalli Nowitzke said.

Paul Katz and Amelia Shugart took second in bocce, Liam Fealy and Ella Rogalski took fourth in bocce, Taymour Zalmout and Maddie McGuire took third in bocce.

Liam Fealy took fourth in shot put.

Taymour Zalmout won the shot put and qualified for USA’s. Taymour also took second in long jump.

Callan Biga took third in the shot put.

Liam and Callan were both third in the 100m dash.

Ashley Grabinski took second in the 100m dash while Ashley Grabinski, Liam Fealy, Callan Biga and Taymour Zalmout took fourth in the 4 x 100m relay.

Taymour Zalmout has qualified for USA’s in Minnesota next summer. Nowitzke said he still needs to be selected by a random draw for his event – “but he did as he says ‘dominate the field.’ If he is selected he will have a team USA coach and be in Minnesota for 9 days with team USA.”

In preparing for the Special Olympics competition, which saw around 2,500 athletes competing, the Dexter team practiced after school on Wednesdays and also trained during the school day on Tuesdays during Unified PE class. The student athletes also have PE classes that include weight lifting and classes at the Wellness center that provide additional training.

Unified Sports has become an important part of the Dexter athletic offerings. For its history, Nowitzke helped bring Unified sports to DHS, which earned the Unified Champion School designation from Special Olympics Michigan in February 2023.

Dexter Community Schools said this initiative is a strategy for schools to become more inclusive through the power of Sport, inclusive youth leadership and school-wide awareness. DCS said Unified Champion Schools bring students with and without intellectual disabilities together and empower youth and educators to create a place of acceptance and understanding for all students.

According to the Special Olympics, Unified Sports are fully inclusive sports or fitness programs that combine an approximately equal number of students with and without intellectual disabilities, such as Special Olympics Unified Sports, Interscholastic Unified Sports, Unified PE, or Unified Intramurals.