Students Shine at 7th Annual PEP Prentiss Super Bowl

On Friday Oct. 6, Cuyahoga Heights Schools hosted the seventh annual PEP Prentiss Super Bowl. The event, which occurs each October, is an opportunity for PEP Prentiss students to participate in a football game with one another in a football stadium, complete with a referee, announcer and a cheering crowd filled with family and friends. PEP Prentiss Autism Center supports young people age 5-22 with autism and other complex developmental disabilities. For many of them, the PEP Prentiss Super Bowl is the first time they have had the chance to participate in a group sport.

The experience is not only meaningful for students but for their families as well. “I never thought I would hear my son’s name announced in a football stadium,” said one mom.

Cuyahoga Heights Schools Superintendent Tom Evans says students from Cuyahoga Heights also enjoy the game. They come out to support the PEP Prentiss students during their lunch break and enthusiastically cheer for every small success. Evans expressed gratitude for the partnership on social media the day of the event, saying, “Thank you guys for being such incredible partners! Our students had a great day!”

Photo Gallery from the Big Day

To learn more about PEP Prentiss Autism Center visit our website. Contact Nicole Molnar, sr. director, clinical services, at 216-361-7760 ext. 110 or via email to see if a student in your district may be a good fit.

Please note, referrals to PEP’s Day Treatment Centers are made through school districts. Interested parents or caregivers should contact their school administrator.