2018 -- S 2939

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LC005809

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE CHARLES E. SHEA HIGH SCHOOL UNIFIED BASKETBALL

TEAM FOR WINNING THE RHODE ISLAND DIVISION IV STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

     Introduced By: Senators Nesselbush, Crowley, Conley, Metts, and Lombardi

     Date Introduced: May 31, 2018

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, Unified sports partners students with developmental disabilities (athletes),

and those without (partners) in athletic competition. In Unified Basketball, three athletes team up

with two partners, with the athletes being allowed to shoot while the partners rebound, dribble

and pass. Unified sports is a way of bringing special needs students together with their peers; and

     WHEREAS, After completing a winning regular season in its first season of competition,

the Shea High School Unified Basketball Team entered the Rhode Island Division IV Unified

Basketball Tournament as a two-seed. Upon advancing to the championship game, the Shea

Unified Team stunned the favored one-seed North Providence High School Team and won the

State Championship by the score of 52 to 45; and

     WHEREAS, Winning a state title in any sport is an immense achievement, one that

requires that every player on the team give one hundred percent and works seamlessly with their

teammates as each member places team goals ahead of individual aspirations. The Charles E.

Shea Unified Basketball Team had these traits in abundance as they were led all season by the

sterling play provided by Hendrick Cepeda-Olivera, Ralph Menard, Tyler Shea, Jowell DaSilva,

Abraham Balogun, Keven Santos, Devin Fonseca, Louis Whitehead, and Jason Roche. The

Charles E. Shea Unified Basketball Team also benefitted all season by the superb coaching and

leadership provided by Head Coach Steve DeMeo and Facilitators Lori Wilbur and Stefanie

Forte; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby congratulates the Charles E. Shea Unified Basketball Team for winning the Rhode Island

Division IV Championship; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of resolution of this resolution by Head Coach Steve DeMeo.

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