Cofounder and former Executive Director, Beverly Vaughn, may have retired but that doesn’t mean she stopped working as an advocate for the organization. Vaughn remains engaged in a project, assisted by History Associates Inc., a group of professional archivists. Upon completion of her project, AAASP will launch an online, digital archive that serves both as a history of the movement begun by AAASP and interscholastic adapted sports, and a repository for future stories and milestones.
“It’s easy to forget the many challenges we overcame as a community, and an organization, to now be where we are,” said Vaughn. “Our objective is that as one moves through the exhibit that our archivists have assisted in compiling, they’ll quickly realize how much has been accomplished. AAASP introduced a whole new paradigm to interscholastic sport. In shifting old perceptions around what a young person with a physical disability is truly capable of achieving, we’ve removed barriers and opened doors of opportunity for the equally deserving, athletically talented students.”
Robyn Hootselle, AAASP (Adapted Sports Director – GA) added, “I think people are going to be very impressed and moved by the stories and milestones Bev and the folks at HAI have collected. I’d forgotten myself how much has happened – especially the kids and families who’ve been a part of our family over the decades. It has made me realize what a good thing it is to look back even while we’re continue to move forward. It feels like validation for hard work and great times we created together.”