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HUBBARD -- Players will hit the hardwood today to support Potential Development School for Autism as Hubbard High School hosts its second annual Shoot for Change basketball game.
The benefit is hosted by junior Isabella Williams, and Hubbard High athletes, cheerleaders and the Potential Development pep club also will be participating in the event. Potential Development is a school for children with autism and teaches students from preschool through grade 12.
The event will feature a varsity and junior varsity game, a basket raffle, a 50/50 raffle, T-shirt sales and concessions.
Williams started the benefit last year as a project for her Community and Career Exploration class to support Potential Development and her cousin, Christoph Rhoads, who is a student there.
"This project means a lot to me because Potential Development has done more than you can imagine for my cousin," Williams said. "With Christoph being my family, I want to give back to them because they have given so much to him. By doing that (giving to her cousin), they gave so much to me."
Rhoads is a senior and has been there since his sophomore year.
"When he went to a (regular) high school, he didn't have the opportunities he does now," Williams said. "He's able to go at his own pace, make friends and participate in sports, which is something he wasn't allowed to do at a typical high school."
According to a news release from Potential Development, she continued the project due to a large amount of community support.
Potential Development CEO Paul Garchar said he and the school are "grateful to Isabella" for continuing the event.
"It's a public way to show the community how much our students enjoy extracurricular activities, such as athletics and pep club," he said. "We are also thrilled to recognize our senior basketball players and pep club members."
Williams said she plans to continue the project for a few more years.
"I'm going to continue it into my senior year and then my little sister said she wants to pick up where I left off and I will help her," she said. "She's a freshman. Next year, me and her are going to work together and then she said she wants to run it for our school."
The event starts at 4 p.m. and tickets are available at the door. It is $7 for adults, $5 for students and free for children younger than 5.