San Joaquin Memorial High hosts inclusive event for disabled students

Annual 'Celebrate Abilities Day' brings together students to promote inclusion and kindness.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 11:21pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, California hosted their 11th annual 'Celebrate Abilities Day' event, where students welcomed students with disabilities from the community to participate in games and activities together to promote inclusion and kindness.

Why it matters

The event aims to teach students the importance of inclusion, dignity, and welcoming those with different abilities, which is an important lesson for the school and local community.

The details

For about two hours, Memorial students greeted their guests and guided them around campus while participating in activities together like basketball and ring toss. Staff say students from every grade level take part in the event, and those who have done it before are usually excited to welcome the new participants.

  • San Joaquin Memorial High School has hosted Celebrate Abilities Day for the past 11 years.
  • The most recent event took place on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

The players

Rachael Rosas

Director of Curriculum and Instruction at San Joaquin Memorial High School.

Josh Rodriguez

Director of Mission Ministry and Service Education at San Joaquin Memorial High School.

Amanda Wilson

Math teacher at San Joaquin Memorial High School.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“All of us are created uniquely, and I think our students have the opportunity to see that in life when we do days like today.”

— Rachael Rosas, Director of Curriculum and Instruction (yourcentralvalley.com)

“It teaches our students how to be kind, how to be welcoming, how to be inclusive. Some kids are like, do I smile? Do I say hi? And I'm like, you do all of it. They are human beings, and each of us, regardless of their abilities, deserves dignity.”

— Rachael Rosas, Director of Curriculum and Instruction (yourcentralvalley.com)

“The older students who have done it before are usually pretty excited because they remember how much fun they had. The younger students, especially the freshmen, are a little timid, like, they don't know what to expect.”

— Amanda Wilson, Math teacher (yourcentralvalley.com)

The takeaway

This annual event at San Joaquin Memorial High School demonstrates the school's commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students, regardless of their abilities. By bringing together students with and without disabilities to participate in activities together, the school is teaching valuable lessons about kindness, acceptance, and the dignity of all people.