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Clement Coulston and Rachel Ward, Global Youth Facilitators for the 2013 Special Olympics Global Youth Activation Summit participated in the inaugural Global Development Summit, which gathered 300 world leaders from areas of government, business, education, economic and social development, media … Continue reading
Kristen Kolombatovich is currently the Communications Summer Intern for Special Olympics Project UNIFY. She is a junior at Hofstra University, where she is majoring in Public Relations. Kristen is originally from Hopewell, New Jersey.
“We didn’t know what to expect, we were 17.”
Last week, Special Olympics staff members had the opportunity to hear stories from some of the original Camp Shriver counselors. As Anne and Mary Hammerbacher share their experience from the first day of Camp Shriver, the visual of the buses pulling in and children stepping off starts to form.
It was not only the first day of camp, it was the first day of a movement that grew into what today is known as Special Olympics.
As the Camp Shriver counselors spoke about their experiences with the children, I realized that these stories were not much different from my own. Anne and Mary recall a small boy named Tiger who would jump off the bus every day and shout “Where are the girls!”
Listening to their stories, you got the sense that the overall goal of camp was to have fun. Of course it was important to build the abilities of the campers, but overall, the children were there to ride ponies, go swimming, shoot archery, and just enjoy the summer time with their new camp friends and counselors.
I sat listening to their stories reflecting on my own experiences as a present day Camp Shriver counselor. My first exposure to Camp Shriver and Special Olympics New Jersey was when I started volunteering at 15 years old. I struggled my first year to understand my interaction with the athletes, especially because they were twice my age and towered over me. I found myself as more of a follower within my group, learning from the head counselor and watching the tactics they would use. After two years of observing as well as participating, I decided to apply as a counselor. My nerves were eased by my previous experience and I was ready to take on the coaching position. I was now the teacher.
I was fortunate enough to serve as a camp counselor for three summers. This camp was where I found my passion for this organization. My state president spoke once to all the counselors and said, “You will have that moment, when you understand why what you are doing is so important”.
Ian was that moment.
My second year as a counselor I was approached by his father after the last day of camp. He told me how Ian had not been well and ever since he had been attending camp his father had not only seen an improvement in his athletic abilities but his health as well. With one last “thank you” and a handshake, Ian’s father left me feeling overwhelmed. I had made a difference.
Whenever I am asked where I found my passion for Special Olympics, I tell my story of Ian. It is the 50th Anniversary this summer of the beginning of Camp Shriver and bridging the gap between these two generations of counselors could not have been a better way to celebrate what Eunice Kennedy Shriver started that fateful summer in 1962.
This blog is written by Tanealya Hueth, a member of the National Youth Activation Committee, and an acvtive volunteer in her community in Montana. Tanealya shares some insigtht on how to avoid becoming detached from quality work during the summer. Just because school is out, doesn’t mean we have to be!
School is out and summer vacation has begun. This does not mean as a youth leader the impact that you have has to stop. Last summer, I had the opportunity to go to Greece and attend the National Youth Activation Summit. At this conference, we made an impact on others by discussions and workshops that helped each of us grow and become better leaders.
So the question is, “What can you do during summer vacation, as a youth leader, to make an impact?” Youth volunteering, being a mentor, helping in the community, or even getting others involved can make an impact. It is easy to see the impact of your actions thought these activities and this is even a fun way to spend your summer.
Where can you volunteer? First look for places to Volunteer in your community. Lots of places are looking for volunteers. Try your local Special Olympics office, youth camps, church, community garden, food banks, or local senior citizen centers. Also, you can look for places where you have an opportunity to work with young people with or without disabilities. As a leader you make an impact on others by being a role model or getting others involved.
Being a mentor is a great way to make an impact. Some mentoring programs are as easy as just being a friend to a child who needs one. Statistics show that kids who are mentored succeed greatly. Some of those statics are:
Start a website for teens by teens. Offer information and support for teens. Ask a local community service to host it for you. Have a list of community services you can offer as referrals to kids in trouble or who are just lonely and need something to do during the summer. Put up helpful and upbeat articles of interest to other teens. Provide quizzes and puzzles. Make it a place other teens will want to come to for positive, encouraging, and supportive information and resources.
Do you love outdoor sports? Volunteer to coach your local Special Olympics team or play in a Unified Sports league. Or, do a little research and see if you have an Outdoor Education Center or Park Program in your area. Often these Centers offer programs for people with special needs and they nearly always need volunteers to help. What could be better than helping someone experience the joy of playing a sport.
Another option is to find out if there is a wheelchair sports program in your community. There are a lot of fine athletes who are confined to wheelchairs, still active and very competitive. Besides basketball, some wheelchair sports groups play rugby, hockey, tennis and softball. Get some friends together and challenge them to a game. You might be surprised who wins!
Bring some joy to a senior citizens facility. Not all senior citizens facilities are the same. They vary from having active seniors to bed-ridden individuals. But everybody has the same need – to know someone else cares. Why not throw a party for some folks in such a facility? It can be as simple as just bringing in some balloons and visiting with people (don’t worry about what to say – most of them will be happy to do the talking!). Or it can be as elaborate as performing a “show” for them. Gather some of your Special Olympics friends who can play music, sing, do card tricks, read poetry or tell stories – put it all together and make some people happy! They’ll talk about it for weeks.
If you or someone you know has a summer birthday, throw a birthday party but instead of gifts ask people to make a contribution to Special Olympics or another cause. Better yet, gather friends with birthdays in the same month and see how much you can raise!
These are just a few of the many ways that you canmake an impact as a youth leader during your summer vacation. Look around your community and talk to others about ways to volunteer. Don’t forget to get your friends involved. Be a role model and have fun with whatever you decide to do.
“If you have heart and determination in your life, then nothing can get in the way of your dreams!” ~Author Unknown
As you step down from the podium with your high school diploma in hand, you find yourself in an interim stage between adolescence and adulthood. You feel as though you have arrived at Platform 9 ¾, stuck between worlds and ready to be carted off to a place perhaps just as magical as Hogwarts: college. While settling in on campus, so many things will change, but you must always remember that you are still a leader. Everything you learned in high school and all the experience you gained will not go to waste; it will form the foundation of your college leadership.
With every passing year, you are given more freedom at the cost of responsibility. High school allows you to act as independently as you may while still living under your parents’ roof. Most youth leadership in high school allows students to form their own plans and carry them out under the structured guidance and supervision of faculty. During this period, youth seem to be given a leadership permit—the wheel is handed over to them, but the adults still have a brake pedal installed in the passenger side just in case. This allows students to develop their leadership skills, while letting adults take care of the boring work of forms and finances.
Transitioning from being a leader in high school to a leader in college may seem like you’re hitting the ground running, but it’s not as drastic as it seems. At its heart, leadership at all stages is about inspiring people. It’s true, there won’t be as much hand-holding and at times it may feel like the system is working against you, but pushing through all of that will not only make a name for yourself on campus, but foster your leadership ability in a way that you never before had the chance to. You will be expected to work more independently, but even at college, there is always someone to reach out to for help when needed. It is essential that you find the right people who will help you along your way, but let you work through your trials on your own. College can be the best years of your life, but unlike in some high schools, you must always be actively seeking out opportunities to seize.
A leader is someone who shapes their community, so as you enter the realm of higher education, shape yours so that you leave it as a better place than when you first arrived.
I recently attended a Project UNIFY Rally for Special Olympics New Jersey and Jersey City Public Schools. It was an energetic and wonderful atmosphere at the Yanitelli Center at St. Peter’s College. 40 schools were present and each was represented by 39 students. Each school put on a performance about respect and accepting all abilities. The performances that stood out to me – and really helped to energize the crowd – were done by Rafael de J. Cordero, P.S. #37, Nicolous Copernicus School, P.S. #25, Dr. Michael Conti, P.S. #5, Martin Center of Arts, M.S. #41, Anthony J. Infante, and P.S. #31.
The performance by P.S. #37 was a song about respecting people of all abilities and sevenstudents had letters that spelled R-E-S-P-E-C-T. The performance by P.S. #25 was a song about being amazing just the way you are. The students from P.S. #5 dressed nicely and used body language in their performance. The students from M.S. #41 used the following slogan, “You respect me, I respect you … we are all beautiful people!” P.S. #31 performed the song, When you wish upon a star and focused on the acceptance of all abilities.
Dr. Michael Fowlin gave an entertaining performance that had a serious message for everyone in the audience about people with different abilities. The mere feeling of energy and noise from the crowd filled you with excitement. It was a celebration of all abilitieswithin Jersey City Public Schools.
While I didn’t take any video, there was a great video blog done by My Autism Voice that shares some of the amazing performance from the Jersey City Schools Project UNIFY Rally:
If all state programs did an event like this, their school communities could benefit greatly – impacting not only on the students but entire school communities.
Of course there are a few things that need to be in place before such an event to occur. Based on the rally I attended, here’s a guide to putting on your own great Project UNIFY Rally:
This Saturday, September 24th is the 2nd Annual Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day (aka EKS Day), which honors the amazing and inspirational founder of Special Olympics. Eunice Kennedy Shriver was a trail blazing leader who broke down barriers to improve the lives of millions of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Each year on the 4th Saturday in September events of unity and acceptance around the world will celebrate the vision, commitment and achievements of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her tradition of making a difference. The theme for this year’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day is Play Unified to Live Unified.
Learn more about Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
This year we’re commemorating the amazing impact of Eunice Kennedy Shriver by partnering with Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play and CELEBRATING AN ENTIRE DAY DEDICATED TO ACTIVE PLAY!!
You and your family are invited to Washington, DC for a day
of family-friendly activities, sports & entertainment!
Saturday September 24, 2011
10 am – 4 pm
The Ellipse at the National Mall
Since we love to play (especially when we play UNIFIED), we’ll be at The Ellipse on The National Mall in Washington, DC all-day hosting a Unity Dance Party, demonstrating the amazing skills of our Special Olympics athletes in floor hockey and tennis and remembering the impact of Special Olympics’ founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Need another reason to come? Check out this fun video featuring some of Nick’s biggest stars and a certain First Lady! They’ll be there, so come join in the fun! (Plus, some big sports stars, like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Abby Wambach and Damien Woody, will be there, so you won’t want to miss it!)
So if you’re in the Washington, DC area on September 24, grab your friends and family and head to the National Mall for a fun-filled day of play! Plus, stop by the Special Olympics Project UNIFY tent and mention you read this blog post and we’ll give you a SWEET Project UNIFY prize!
Don’t fret if you’re not in the DC area – there are still tons of ways to get involved with Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day and Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play:
Today I’m playing unified to live unified in celebration of Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day and Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play. Join me, be a fan of @Special Olympics and let’s get out and play! http://www.eksday.org
It’s that time of year again – time to go back to school! As teachers, students and parents make their final preparations for the school year to begin, Andrea Cahn, Special Olympics Project UNIFY Senior Director, and Betty Edwards, Chairman of the National Education Leadership Network, share an important message for the new school year:
Do you remember the bittersweet excitement at the beginning of every school year? Summer was ending, yes, but for many of us, each September meant a fresh beginning—new teachers, a pristine three-ring binder or box of crayons, crisp just-bought clothes, the promise of achievement in the air. We felt the tingle of anticipation of friendships yet unformed, great successes still to be dreamed, and new discoveries of the world and ones’ self. We set foot onto the freshly waxed floors excited to see friends, participate in after-school activities, and to learn. For others, school never quite lived up to expectations and getting on the bus in the morning was a time of intimidation and concern — and for some, school was, and still is, a simply devastating experience.
How is it that even on that first hopeful day of school, some students are shining beacons, while others are ciphers unseen by other students or even their own teachers?
The excitement for school starts at kindergarten, when the angst is often greater for the parent than the child. But that wide-eyed exuberance fades in a less supportive, inclusive school. Just as Sir Kenneth Robinson talks about our schools draining the creativity out of our students, so can the natural curiosity and joy of learning evaporate if children are not provided with the opportunity to be central to and engaged in the learning experience.
As students advance through school, that angst can be shared by both parent and child. In the August 2011 issue of Middle Ground, Angela Thomas shares her own fears as her only child enters middle school.
I did not sleep well the night before. Despite the fact I knew Shayla had all of her sixth grade school supplies neatly packed in her new book bag and was very excited about starting middle school, many of the situations that broke my heart as a middle school teacher were suddenly flashing before me with extreme force.
Would someone else be there for her if she needed help? Would she be the brunt of someone’s joke or bullying? Would my daughter now be one of the kids who couldn’t get the combination lock to work? If she had a question, would she be too afraid to ask?
Parents’ concerns are not always unfounded. Last fall, a Florida father stormed onto a school bus to protect his daughter from students who had reportedly bullied his daughter. This was even more disturbing because the girl has a disability. The father said he wished “kids would understand how much pain bullying and taunting causes other children.” His daughter had just begun middle school and has since changed schools.
Transition between schools is a challenging time for students, whether it’s elementary to middle, or middle to high, or to a new school altogether, and it’s a time when students can be “lost.” Leaving the cocoon of elementary school, students face much trepidation—some of it as simple as the idea of changing classes, or addressing the “fear” of the locker — “Will I be able to open my combination lock?” To an eleven-year-old that seemingly minor doubt can be traumatizing.
How traumatizing, too, to be a student labeled as “special needs” or with an intellectual “disability.” Someone for whom that transition from the safe, nurturing haven of home to the unwelcoming isolation of the school hallway happens every day. How paralyzing! How painful! Who could be expected to learn anything under these conditions?!
It is our responsibility to actively “be there” for students, observing, asking questions, and ensuring an environment in which each student is valued and acknowledged every step along their educational path. Dr. Thomas advised us to take the steps necessary to ensure that each student is known, that no one is a cipher.
When teachers really know their students, they know when something doesn’t feel right…Teachers need to reach out to families and share their insights…. It doesn’t take long, but it may make all the difference in a student’s life.
The beginning of the school year is a tremendous opportunity for adults in the school and community to work to ensure that each student has a positive experience at school and is engaged in his or her own learning. Project UNIFY has identified actions and structures that help provide an inclusive, supportive environment. Among those are:
So, at this beginning of a new school year, let’s ensure that a student’s excitement about school grows each year not diminishes; that students are known as powerful individuals; and that each student is given the opportunity make a difference, have a voice, and be an active member of the school community. We must care—and let students know that we care. We must recognize each student’s gifts and let each one shine brightly.
