(left to right) Dr. Emily Goodine, Brad Ocker, Sherri Sullivan, and Sam Bennet

The Chambersburg Area School District (CASD) held the second annual Trojan Walk fundraiser on Thursday, September 19, 2024. The event benefited the district’s special education programs, and was held in the Trojan Stadium at the Chambersburg Area Senior High School (CASHS). More than 140 students, administrators, faculty and staff participated in the walk, raising a total of $2,052.

The Trojan Walk was created to honor and support the more than 1,500 special education students within CASD. The fundraiser included both online donations and opportunities for students at CASHS to purchase tickets to join the walk. Autistic support students contributed to the efforts by selling homemade items, such as lanyards, keychains, and Trojan friendship bracelets. The Trojan Coffee Shop, which is operated by CASHS Life Skills students, also sold drinks.

“The goal of the walk is to support and foster relationships between our students with disabilities and their peers,” said Dr. Emily Goodine, CASD special education supervisor. “We are excited to see how the walk continues to grow and evolve for our students.”

Funds from the walk directly benefit special education students through the purchase of sensory modulation areas and tools, community outreach and experiences, career and transition exploration, and more. Donations are not used in place of regular district purchases.

This year’s Trojan Walk featured a “Who Will Kiss the Pig” contest, with CASD administrators participating. Each dollar donated represented 1 vote and the CASD staff member with the most votes had to kiss a pig on the day of the event. Donors voted between staff members Cody Marker, CASHS assistant principal, Dr. Emily Goodine, Sam Bennett, supervisor of special education, Brad Ocker, CASHS building principal, Christopher Bigger, CASD superintendent of schools, and Lance Walker, CASD school board director. Sam Bennett received the most votes, with 220 more than the runner-up, and found herself puckering up for the task. “As a supporter of all the wonderful things our staff and students accomplish on a daily basis, I was excited and up to the challenge,” shared Bennett.

Sam Bennett, winner of the "Who Will Kiss the Pig" contest, puckers up for the task.

The 2024 Trojan Walk was sponsored and hosted by CASHS Autistic Support and Life Skills programs. Principal Ocker hopes that students who participated in the event can use the experience to learn the importance of engaging with their peers.

“Events like the Trojan Walk give our students the opportunity to be involved in their school community,” stated Ocker. “They reinforce the concepts of treating others like you want to be treated, as well as establishing unity amongst all grades, races, genders and ethnicities. Our goal is to emphasize within our school community the spirit of teamwork, and that together everyone achieves more.”

With more than 1500 students receiving special education services, CASD staff are getting creative to accommodate this fast-growing population of students.

“The overall population of special education students has grown 42.5% in the last 5 years within the district. It truly takes a village of ongoing supports and services to meet the needs of our students within all of our special education programs,” said Sherri Sullivan, director of special education at CASD. She and her team are focused on overcoming such challenges by creating events like the Trojan Walk.

For more information about the Special Education Department at CASD, visit https://www.casdonline.org/Domain/52.