Young Athletes Program

The Special Olympics Young Athletes Program offers elementary school students the opportunity to participate in sports activities in order to get them involved with other classmates their age. This program helps to start relationships between students with and without intellectual disabilities at a young age, in order to start friendships that will last a lifetime. Since our society often is unaware about the "abilities" of individuals with intellectual disabilities, it is important to break stereotypes at a young age and promote the equality of all peoples. In these three photos you can see one event that was held to promote the Young Athletes Program. These photos illustrate the fun that is had when students with intellectual disabilities have the option to train and compete in sports. Through my work with these students, I see the abilities that are represented in others, rather than their inabilities that are often pin-pointed by others. The ability to laugh, smile, and treat others with respect is something that I feel each of these children possess and if that is a "disability," than I think it is something that shouldn't be scoffed at by others. Through the work of the Special Olympics organization and volunteers, there are programs like the Young Athletes Program that harness the abilities of other and help to break down stereotypes behind "disabilities."