SCOE’s Mouse Games celebrate students who receive special education services
Students at the Sonoma County Office of Education’s Amarosa Academy welcomed several dozen student athletes from the agency’s special education program for a morning of spirited athletic competition on Friday, May 1, 2026.
Dubbed the Mouse Games in honor of former SCOE student Nathaniel Mueller, the event hosted four teams of students with extensive medical needs from SCOE classrooms at El Colegio preschool, Rancho Cotate High School, Manzanita Elementary Charter, and Piner Olivet Charter School. They competed in a series of four athletic events, modified to allow the students, who are non-ambulatory and nonverbal, to participate with the assistance of helpers.
Like the athletes at Friday’s Games, Nathaniel, nicknamed “Mouse” for his love of Mickey, had extensive medical needs. He died unexpectedly in August 2024 at the age of 13. His mom, Jennifer Mueller, attended the first athletic competition named for her son with several members of her family.
“This is so cool,” she said, after the Mouse Games had concluded. “It’s so touching to have my son have such an impact on other students.”
She said that when Nathaniel played sports through SCOE’s former “Medically Fragile League,” one of his favorite games was a modified basketball game. He was known among classmates as “Buster Posey” because his birthday was Oct. 28, and the San Francisco Giants catcher wore No. 28 for his entire career.
“He would laugh and giggle when you’d play sports with him,” Mueller said.
Nathaniel’s beloved Mickey Mouse made his film debut in 1928, adding to the numerical synergy.
SCOE Adapted Physical Education Teacher Mike Webb helped organize the athletic competition. He said that even though the student athletes may not be able to run and jump like Olympic athletes, they are fierce competitors who love being part of a team.
“Where do athletes go who don’t fit into a neat category of Special Olympics or Paralympics but still want to compete, be cool, and be part of something bigger than themselves?” Webb asked during his opening remarks.
Students at Amarosa Academy, SCOE’s alternative education high school for students who have had difficulty in traditional school environments, served as hosts and volunteers for the Mouse Games. Many of the students at Amarosa have been expelled from their home districts, are on probation, or are teen parents. Bringing together the two very different student populations was the point, Webb said.
“A week or two ago, I went to go talk to (the Amarosa students) because this is a new population for most people,” Webb said of working with students with extensive needs. He said he told the Amarosa students, “If you ever feel like an outsider, that’s how these students feel every day.”
Parent Kelly Heublein, whose 8-year-old daughter Harper represented the winning team from Manzanita, said she loved the sense of community created by having the four special education classes meet at Amarosa.
“For the families who come, the events are so important to have a regular (school) experience and a community,” Hueblein said. “It’s fun and feels inclusive.”
To learn more about the Mouse Games and view more photos, you can read The Press Democrat’s coverage of the event.