Lawrence schools celebrate inclusion at Pat Grzenda Adaptive Triathlon

Patricia “Pat” Grzenda stood at Lawrence High School and helped turn a morning race into something bigger than a competition. After lunch, she placed a medal around each athlete’s neck, capping a day that brought students with disabilities, teachers, paraprofessionals, family members, peers and volunteers together around one simple message: these accomplishments matter.

Lawrence Public Schools’ annual Pat Grzenda Adaptive Triathlon ran through swimming, biking and track work that challenged each participant at a level built for their ability. Student athletes swam two to four laps, rode a stationary bike for eight minutes and finished with one to four laps around the track, while the Lawrence High School Marching Lions played “Stand Up and Cheer” as students left the main gym. The music gave the event the feel of a schoolwide celebration, not just a meet.

The triathlon has become a fixture in USD 497 since it began in 2019, with 2020 lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year’s event drew nearly 70 middle and high school student-athletes with disabilities, a sign of how many Lawrence families now see the triathlon as a place where students can be noticed for what they can do. Lawrence Public Schools described the event as a display of “Lawrence spirit,” and this year’s crowd reflected that mix of endurance, friendship and public support.

The event carries the name of a Lawrence educator whose influence stretches across generations. Grzenda retired in 2011 after 34 years teaching adaptive physical education in the district. She also coached swimming and diving at Lawrence High School and Lawrence Free State High School, and she was inducted into the Kansas State High School Activities Association Class of 2023 Hall of Fame. KSHSAA says its Hall of Fame, established in 1975, recognizes people who have contributed their time and talent to school activities.

The triathlon was led by Tiffany Russell and Rodney Hess, the district’s adaptive P.E. teachers for students with disabilities in grades K-12. It was founded by Brad Stoll and Jayme Savage, who named it for Grzenda because of her long mentorship in Lawrence schools. For the students who finished the course, and for the families lined up to cheer them on, the day showed what inclusion looks like when it is built into the life of a school district.