Spreading awareness for Special Olympics
Because of the Special Olympics, people who are normally held back by their physical and mental disabilities are given the opportunity to learn more than just how to compete athletically. (photo use with permission of comunity.specialolympics.org)
May 22, 2009 • written by Brittany Davila, Assistant Editor
Filed under News, Top stories
With a flurry of buttons and ribbons, awareness of the Special Olympics has been widespread not only through the school, but through the nation.
“The whole nation is stressing the Special Olympics, and as a state and school, we’ve gotten on board to support,” Assistant Principal Cory Steiner said.
Awareness of the Special Olympics has been channeled through Student Council.
“The ribbons are to raise money for the Special Olympics and the buttons were to get awareness and trying to stop the ‘R’ word,” Student Council representative senior Haylee Swanson said. “The word hurts many people and we need to step up and make a change.”
Junior Meranda Harris wears her button in support of the Special Olympics almost every day.
“It spreads the word to end the word,” Harris said. “I don’t like it because it is not correct to who they are. They are mentally handicapped, but they are really no different from who we are.”
Harris has worked extensively with people who have special needs in and out of school.
“I work with them every day, and they always brighten your day,” she said. “The experience with them has made me a better person.”
From Harris’ experiences with people who have special needs, she has also learned valuable life lessons.
“They taught me patience, and even though they can’t communicate like we can, they are extremely smart and they know a lot of stuff,” she said.
There has been an encouraging reaction to the spreading awareness of the Special Olympics.
“Students at West Fargo High School are very accepting of all students, especially students with special needs,” Steiner said.
There is action that a student can take to show support beyond wearing buttons and buying ribbons.
“[The goal is] to get more people involved,” Swanson said. “We would like to get more people to participate or even coach. We want involvement in [the Special Olympics], awareness drawn and people with mental disabilities to participate in it.”
Showing that the Special Olympics require immense ability is what Steiner wants to see through the spreading of awareness.
“The main goal is to spread awareness of the abilities of the people in our community with special needs,” he said. “That they can and will do anything just like us.”
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