Click here to view a photo gallery of the Leadership in Physical Fitness with Arc/Morris class.

MADISON, N.J. (May 9, 2014) – The Drew University students and student-athletes involved in the Leadership in Physical Fitness with the Arc/Morris class have learned many things, but the most important is something as simple as the reciprocal power of a smile or a hug.
 
The class is run by head women's basketball coach Brittany Gaetano, who just completed her sixth semester of the class that includes both athletes and students from Drew. Arc/Morris is a program for intellectually and developmentally disabled adults and a group of 12-15 adults from Arc/Morris have made a habit of traveling to Drew every Friday for an hour-long gym class hosted by Gaetano and the members of her Leadership in Physical Fitness class.
 
The class offers two credits and has been consistently filled with 12 Drew students, but there have been additional volunteers who have joined the class at large.
 
The class always begins with a stretching session before the Rangers and Arc/Morris members form a sharing circle, where each person gets a turn to share their favorite food, their activities and good news from the previous week, or anything that is on their mind.
 
The sharing circle then breaks into different sports and games, including kickball, basketball, soccer, musical chairs and hot potato. Without fail, there is always a request to take a dance break; YMCA and the Cupid Shuffle are a few class favorites. The students and student-athletes running the class will always pause the game if a hug is requested, and the smiles are always infectious.
 
"I've been involved in the class from the beginning," said senior forward Logan Cavanaugh of the women's basketball team. "They come to play games and have fun, and it makes their week. It's so great to see them get excited and run up to you to give you a big hug just for spending some time with them. I can be in a bad mood one day and come here, and then be the happiest person in the world. It makes my day and it really is an enlightening experience."
 
Cavanaugh's teammate and classmate, guard Brianna Reich, echoes the sentiment that the class is mutually beneficial and provides a happy atmosphere from both the teaching and learning sides of the program.
 
"It means a lot to them," Reich said. "They get to come here for an hour, play games and just relax. It's the simplest things that mean the most to them. All it takes sometimes is to kick a ball and run to first base. I look forward to this class each week and I know we all do. To see them smile and enjoy themselves makes everything worthwhile."
 
Drew University President Vivian A. Bull was present for the final class of the semester on Monday, May 5, and it didn't take long for her to see what the class was all about. While watching from the sidelines, Dr. Bull received a patented hug from one of the Arc/Morris members.
 
"It was wonderful to watch our athletes hosting those new friends, of all ages, in various games and activities," Dr. Bull said. "Everyone seemed happy and excited, and I suspect our Drew students had found great enjoyment and satisfaction while helping others."
 
The Arc/Morris also attends one Drew women's basketball game every winter and joins the Rangers for a pizza party after the game.
 
Tom Julian of Arc/Morris rarely misses a Leadership in Physical Fitness class, just as he rarely misses a practice or home game for the women's basketball team, for which he serves as an official team manager. Julian was recently honored at the DRESPYS, Drew's annual end-of-the-year awards banquet, for his service to the Rangers in a video featuring interviews with Gaetano and Julian, and highlights from the Arc/Morris class at Drew University.
 
Gaetano is in the process of expanding Drew's outreach to the community working with intellectually and developmentally challenged individuals. This fall, the Rangers will launch their partnership with Unified Sports, who will help host Special Olympics events at Drew. The program will eventually be student-run and will begin with soccer in the fall of 2014.