Lex-Rich 5 youngsters are Special Olympians, with a little help from their ‘big buddies’ | The State

James Beam, left and Noah Eldridge run an obstacle course as fifth grader Russell Mendez keeps pace alongside. Harbison West Elementary School paired fifth graders with developmentally disabled students to compete in a young athletes expo at Spring Hill High School. Students from Chapin Elementary, H.E. Corley and Spring Hill High School also participated. — James Beam, left and Noah Eldridge run an obstacle course as fifth grader Russell Mendez keeps pace alongside. Harbison West Elementary School paired fifth graders with developmentally disabled students to compete in a young athletes expo at Spring Hill High School. Students from Chapin Elementary, H.E. Corley and Spring Hill High School also participated. Tracy Glantz tglantz@thestate.com

Spring Hill High School on Wednesday hosted more than 60 special-needs students from across Lexington-Richland 5 for the Special Olympics Youth Expo.

Fifth grade “big buddy” students from Harbison West Elementary accompanied special education preschool students while they competed.

This story was originally published February 17, 2016 at 8:03 PM with the headline "Lex-Rich 5 youngsters are Special Olympians, with a little help from their ‘big buddies’."