On a crisp Sunday morning in October, children came running through the doors of a gym in the University of Maryland's School of Public Health (SPH). Others stood more hesitantly before volunteers guided them inside hand in hand, and still others pushed themselves forward in their wheelchairs.
In a matter of seconds, the gym erupted into sounds of giggles and dribbles. Young athletes of different physical and developmental abilities were getting active, whether powerfully kicking soccer balls, wiggling around in mesh tubes, or quietly arranging foam alphabet letters. These athletes, all local kids, get as excited about sports and having fun as anyone their age, but the severity of their disabilities mean it’s near impossible for them to participate in sports activities that cater to able-bodied children.
Thanks to the nonprofit KEEN Greater DC (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now) plus a steady stream of UMD volunteers, athletes have found a space made specially for them, with a diversity of activities and the one-on-one support they need to succeed.
“I love that we accept everybody no matter what. Everyone will always have a place, whether that's a volunteer or an athlete, you always have a home with us,” said Dakota Goldfarb, grants and communications manager and site coordinator for KEEN Greater DC. Goldfarb herself is 2021 UMD alumna in kinesiology.
I love that we accept everybody no matter what. Everyone will always have a place.
KEEN is a national nonprofit that helps empower children and youth with developmental and physical disabilities such as autism, down syndrome, and cerebral palsy by offering free and non-competitive physical activity. This means ensuring every child, regardless of ability, has space to play recreationally with individual support and attention.
Back at the gym, after an active 50 minutes, the session concluded with athletes sharing their proudest moments and doing an enthusiastic dance to a well-known tune.
“You put your left foot in, you put your left foot out, and you shake it all about. You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about!”
Since January 2024, this gym has become a safe and welcoming environment for these local athletes to play and exercise together. After the dance, the first group of children left with their parents, while volunteers recharged. A few minutes later, another set of smiling faces appeared at the gym doors and the fun began again.
KEEN Greater DC works with an SPH course called Service Learning in Kinesiology (KNES386), where students learn about physical activity programming and university-community partnerships. Students also volunteer each Sunday, setting up the gym for KEEN athletes, welcoming families and supporting kids in quality physical activity time.
“Students gain invaluable experience applying classroom concepts and skills to real-world situations in Maryland communities,” said Emma Powell, graduate studies coordinator for UMD’s Department of Kinesiology, who teaches the class.
“They learn about what goes into quality service-learning, program implementation and evaluation, and also the challenges of university-community partnerships.”
Junior kinesiology major Maggie Chen, who is taking the class this fall, first learned about KEEN through a friend. She attended a session last year and decided to volunteer after seeing the fun in action.
“It was a lot more fun than I expected. It makes me really happy,” Chen said. “Since I get to work with the same child each weekend, I really get to see him come out of his shell. That feels so rewarding.”
Unlike Chen, freshman kinesiology student Emma Parsons was volunteering for the first time.
“I chose to volunteer at KEEN since I’m on the pre-occupational therapy track and it would align with what I want to do,” she said. “It was so fun playing all the games and interacting with the children.”
Because athletes are paired one-to-one with volunteers to ensure their safety and security, KEEN needs a regular number of volunteers from around campus and beyond to meet the need from families. Luckily many people return to volunteer because they enjoy it so much.
Goldfarb notes that while the focus of KEEN is helping children with disabilities and their families, the effect the program has on its volunteers is often overlooked.
“What I think we don't talk about enough is what KEEN does for the volunteers. They have the opportunity to be exposed to something that maybe they haven't been exposed to before,” Goldfarb said. “It impacts the rest of their life. It helps them develop a better sense of understanding and compassion.”
Parents of participating athletes also applaud KEEN for its inclusivity. Marylander Kidan Abebe’s child has been attending since the beginning. Abebe said the commitment and professionalism he saw from student volunteers made him feel at ease signing his child up for the program. It’s also a great way to have a break as a parent, he said.
Like Abebe, Danny Schaible from Hyattsville attends each Sunday with his 14-year old son. He says that KEEN helps provide positive structure to their weekend.
“Most of the world isn’t friendly to him,” Schaible said, speaking about his son. “There’s a lot of places that are restrictive. [KEEN] has his needs in heart, and there aren't many places like that.”
–Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly
Most of the world isn’t friendly to him. There’s a lot of places that are restrictive. KEEN has his needs in heart, and there aren't many places like that.
Students interested in the kinesiology course and becoming a KEEN coach can find the application here. Preference is given to those who apply by December 1, 2025. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.