The Sonoma County Office of Education hosted a high-energy morning of competition and community Friday during the first-ever “Mouse Games” for students with extensive needs.
According to the Press Democrat, renamed in honor of Nathaniel “The Mouse” Mueller, a beloved student who passed away last year, the Olympics-style event featured athletes in wheelchairs and modified strollers competing in adapted sports like cornhole and Wiffle Ball tosses. The day reached a fever pitch during a decisive dance-off, where students from Manzanita Elementary took home the gold with a Grease-themed performance.
Students from Amarosa Academy volunteered to run the event, helping to foster what organizers call an “increasing circle of belonging” for the county’s most vulnerable populations. Parents and teachers cheered on the fierce competitors, celebrating a day designed specifically for students who are often left out of traditional athletic programs.
It was a powerful display of resilience, kindness, and competitive spirit on the Santa Rosa blacktop.
