Home » New partnership leads to largest-ever Sunshine Class at Kentucky State Fair

New partnership leads to largest-ever Sunshine Class at Kentucky State Fair

New partnership leads to largest-ever Sunshine Class at Kentucky State Fair  WMKY

TheKentuckyDepartmentofAgricultureannouncedthatithasteamedupwithSpecialOlympicsKentuckytoexpandtheSunshineClassattheKentuckyStateFair.KDAofficialssaidthepartnershipisincreasingawarenessoftheclass,whichisforyouthintheCommonwealthwhohavespecialneeds.SpecialOlympicsKentuckyrepresentativessaidtheirathleteshaveopportunitiestocompeteathletically,butthechancetoenterashowringwillallowthemtoexcelinanotherarea. KentuckyAgricultureCommissionerJonathanShellsaidtheprogramisallaboutinclusionandiscontinuingtogrowinparticipation. “TheystartedtheSunshineClasstoallowspecialneedsindividualstoshowalambjustlikeeverybodyelsedoes,atthecountyfairsandStatefairsthatparticipateinit,”saidShell.“Thefirstyearwehadthreeparticipants,twoyearsagowehadfive,andlastyeartherewere12.” Hesaidalongwithamentor,thestudentswillescortalambaroundtheshowring.Shellsaidthepartnershiphasbeenimportantwhenitcomestoexpandingthisinclusiveexperienceacro