Ben Reifel bridges the gap through Unified basketball

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Ben Reifel became the first middle school in Sioux Falls to host a unified sporting event April 16. Ben Reifel is one of four Sioux Falls public middle schools with RISE, a program that serves students with disabilities through designed instruction.

The Bison teachers had been looking for new ways to bring RISE and general education students together and the Unity Bison basketball team did just that.

“When they’re going down to the gym and that’s all they can talk about that they want to do is shoot the basketball and play the game again and again,” social studies teacher and unity club leader Danyelle Cleveland said. “It just gets you excited each day to be there and play basketball with them.”

“Because when you’re running, you’re big and strong,” eighth grader Bonheur Imbahafi said. “Your legs and your feet are big and strong.”

“The most valuable thing is just to see them excited and make them enjoy that they’re scoring a basket and they’re included in stuff,” eighth grader Ellie Maag said.

The Bison practice together during the last period of the school day, but like most sports, players are learning more than just the Xs and Os.

“What you start to see is that when they see them in the hallway, we want them to say hi or just simply, how are you doing,” Cleveland said. “Working with them in their classroom, that’s a great job, and just talking to them like you would your friends and it’s so natural for them.”

“Teaching them not to be afraid to tell their teammates, let’s go this way, or to grab their hands and to really help out,” special education teacher Desiree Burggraaf said. “Just practicing them being able to communicate with each other, and our partners are so great, they just jump right in and take initiative.”

Emphasizing what sports are really all about.

“I just want people to know that even if you’re not the same as others, you can still do sports and you can still have fun and be included,” Maag said.

“They rushed out on that floor to make their tunnel, that excitement that they had, and then at the end when we were saying good game, good game, good game, that’s what its all about and you just can’t make that up,” Cleveland said. “That was so genuine.”

The Bison tipped off against Washington on the floor, but partnered with the Warriors off of it. Washington is home to one of Sioux Falls’ four public high school RISE programs.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.