Tuesday, October 27, 2009

NB Association for Community living presents Champion of Inclusion Award to Moncton teacher, athlete, coach

 Moncton teacher Jason Agnew was presented with a Champion of Inclusion award by Nancy Armstrong, president of the New Brunswick Association for Community Living (NBACL), before a crowd of about 350 people attending the national community living conference in Dieppe recently.

While there’s a popular saying that there is no “I” in the word “team,” for Moncton native Jason Agnew “team” does involve something that starts with “i.” That something is “inclusion”; for a team to truly be cohesive, it has to include everyone. That was Jason’s guiding philosophy as coach of the New Brunswick 2009 Jeux Canada Games Track and Field team, and it’s the philosophy that garnered him a Champion of Inclusion Award from the New Brunswick Association for Community Living (NBACL).

NBACL presents its Champions of Inclusion awards each October to mark Community Inclusion Month. The awards recognize community members or organizations that, through their actions and achievements, support and promote the inclusion of all New Brunswick citizens, including those with an intellectual disability, as valued and contributing members of their community.This year the awards ceremony took place in front of close to 350 people attending a national community living conference in Dieppe. Jason Agnew was one of four recipients.

When the decision was made to include Special Olympics Track and Field as one of the featured sports of the 2009 Jeux Canada Games, Jason Agnew was delighted to be able to include his Special Olympics athletes in all the New Brunswick team activities. He did this by assuring that the NB track and field team trial meets – those for the special Olympians and wheelchair athletes as well as those for athletes without disabilities – all took place at the same time and place so that all the athletes would feel part of the same NB team. He also made sure that the Special Olympics and wheelchair athletes were included in all other team activities, and in the Rally organized once the final NB team was selected. And while on the Island for the Games, he not only prepared and guided his two Special Olympics athletes through their meets against competitors from across Canada, but he also ensured that they were included in all Canada Games activities. Additionally, he rallied the support of the complete NB track and field team as a loud and significant cheering section at every heat and competition in which his Special Olympics boys participated.

They say the apple doesn’t fall from the tree, and that’s certainly the case with Jason. His parents, Glen and Rita Agnew, were instrumental in building the Special Olympics Moncton – South East Chapter, and Jason has followed suit, dedicating several thousands of hours over the last 20 years assisting people with an intellectual disability, mostly through sport. His passion for helping others also influenced his career choice as he became an educator and worked for several years as a Methods and Resource teacher. He is currently teaching at McNaughton High School in Moncton.

There’s no question that Jason’s passion and love for the people he works with is contagious. Including people with an intellectual disability has become a family affair for everyone in the Agnew household, just as it was in Jason’s parents’ home when he was growing up. Jason’s three children are all deeply involved in coaching and helping with Special Olympics in Moncton.

Jason also continuously encourages his students to give something back, whether it is through Special Olympics or simply by taking the time to tutor someone who would otherwise fall through the cracks. He believes in making a difference in small ways each and every day.

That said, Jason helped to get the message for inclusion out in a really big way on the national scale when he accepted an invitation to do an interview with TSN during the Canada Games. In the 10-minute interview his comments focussed on the importance of integrating intellectually challenged athletes with other athletes, and how everyone benefits from participating in a fully integrated event such as the Canada Games. The item aired on TSN and was part of the Canada Games coverage on tsn.ca for the duration of the Games. Thousands of viewers got the message that in the Canadian mosaic, true diversity includes everyone.

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