PITTSFIELD — The Pittsfield Public Schools Unified Game Day has grown so much it needed a bigger venue.

This year's event, which previously had been held at Clapp Park or Taconic High School, was held Friday at Berkshire Community College's Gene Dellea Field.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Bridget McKeever, an event organizer and Stearns special education teacher. “It’s like a dream come true.”

A student celebrates on the tennis court Friday after catching a ball at the Unified Game Day at Berkshire Community College. The daylong Special Olympics event, hosted by Pittsfield Public Schools and Stearns Elementary, featured athletes and unified partners competing for medals in various sports.

Schools from around the district gathered for the 5th annual Unified Game Day. The daylong Special Olympics event, hosted by Pittsfield Public Schools and Stearns Elementary, features athletes and unified partners competing for medals in various sports.

“Our family and community bridges that gap, and it makes everyone feel welcome,” McKeever said. “There’s so many great things that do happen in the Pittsfield Public Schools’ system. I kind of want to showcase that.”

Several schools from the city attended, including Stearns, Capeless and Egremont, among others. Taconic High School’s volunteers from the National Honor Society and the early childhood CTE programs ran the stations. Numerous local high school coaches also helped out by teaching participants the activities.

Bridget McKeever, an event organizer, speaks Friday during the opening ceremony of the Unified Game Day at Berkshire Community College. McKeever, a special education teacher at Stearns Elementary School, said that moving the growing event to BCC was "like a dream come true."

“We have all of our pre-K to [12th grade] special needs [students] invited throughout the district, and then we have more regular ed students coming every year,” McKeever said. “The preschools are in the tennis courts this year … It’s all about being inclusive and being one.”

McKeever said that, when factoring in students and families, there were probably over 1,000 people in attendance.

Latifah Phillips, interim superintendent for the district, spoke during the opening ceremonies, giving the kids four values she wanted to see: Teamwork, respect, friendship and inclusion.

Phillips added that every student has unique strengths and that “our schools are strongest when everyone feels welcomed, valued and included.”

Nahla Phillip, a student athlete at Taconic, said she wanted to volunteer to be there for the kids and to show that it's “OK to have fun.” Phillip added that it provides an opportunity to reflect on being a kid.

Latifah Phillips, interim superintendent of Pittsfield Public Schools, speaks during the opening ceremonies of Friday's Unified Game Day event at BCC. She said that every student has unique strengths and that “our schools are strongest when everyone feels welcomed, valued and included.”

“We’re just able to be there for them now, just how older kids were there for us too,” she said.

Fellow student athlete Emily Roberts added that volunteering is important because you can show kids “that they can do what they want and you’re able to cheer them on.”

There were activities involving soccer, lacrosse, softball and various track and field-based events.

McKeever started the event in 2022 with one of her friends, Katie Lefkowitz, who was a speech pathologist. They wanted to hold an event where everyone felt welcome, and McKeever is pleased with how it's grown.

Elementary school students play lacrosse during Friday's  Unified Game Day at Berkshire Community College. Event organizer Bridget McKeever said that when factoring in students and families, there were probably over 1,000 people in attendance.

“It makes my heart feel good because it means that it’s working,” she said. “The message of inclusion is working, and I love how we’re all getting that message and living it.”

McKeever also enjoyed seeing smiles on kids' faces, including the high school volunteers. “We wouldn’t be able to run any of this if it weren’t for the high school volunteers,” she said.

During the opening ceremony, Stearns students did a special dance performance to “Unthought Known” by Pearl Jam. McKeever dedicated the performance to the late Pittsfield High School teacher Colleen Quinn, who passed away recently.

Elementary school students play soccer during the Friday's Unified Game Day at Berkshire Community College Friday. “Our family and community bridges that gap, and it makes everyone feel welcome,” said Bridget McKeever, an event organizer and Stearns special education teacher.

With the sun shining down on a beautiful day, McKeever was hoping Quinn was watching and feeling the love.

“I think her whole essence was gaining relationships with kids and the communication and camaraderie,” McKeever said. “All of today stands for that.”