Are you a fan yet!

Quotes

Think of other’s as havening a disability as a gift from God to show other’s they can do something special.
--Jennifer Hoover

Try something new at least once
_______________________________

I firmly believe Special Olympics is more than just a program of sports, training and competition; it's a strong statement of optimism about human life.
--
William J. Clinton, former president of the United States of America

If people would believe in us like Special Olympics and see what we can do, they would be amazed. My ambition in life is to turn ‘no’ into ‘yes.’ If someone says I can’t do something, I want to prove I can.
Suzanne O’Moore, Special Olympics Australia athlete
It is the Special Olympics athletes’ ability to deliver and exceed everyone’s expectations, including my own that impresses me the most.
Peter Lynch, Vice Chairman, Fidelity Management and Research Company

"Share our similarities, celebrate our differences."

Special Olympics Athlete Oath

"Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.

Miley Cyrus - The Climb: Hannah Montana The Movie

The Climb by Miley Cyrus should be Special Olympics theme song. To me it means, for everything that comes your way; you will always have another challenge. You can find out your meaning for yourself.

From Special Olympics Fan Community

A World of Neglect

A World of Neglect
People with intellectual disabilities are every society's most neglected population. Nearly 200 million people, or three percent of the world's population, have an intellectual disability, making it the largest disability population in the world.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Learn how to Waltz - Ballroom Dancing

I alway's wanted to try Ballroom Dancing. Indiana I think is the first to offer Ballroom. You can find more info. at http://www.soindiana.org/Sports/SportsOffered/BallroomDancing/tabid/261/Default.aspx

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

YOUNG ATHLETES

Imagine a 7-year-old child, unsure, introverted and afraid to speak up and ask to play with other children. Now imagine that same child, happy, active and laughing as he runs around the playing field with his new friends.

Introduction to the World of Sport:
Through Young Athletes, volunteers introduce young children to the world of sport, with the goal of preparing them for Special Olympics sports training and competition when they get older. The program focuses on the basics that are crucial to cognitive development: physical activities that develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination, and the application of these physical skills through sports skills programs.

Improved social skills is another inspiring reason parents enroll their children in Young Athletes. The confidence boost makes it easier for them to interact with other children on the playground, whether or not they have intellectual disabilities.

An Amazing Program:
After watching her son Brendan participate, Colleen Popp of Delaware, USA, observed with a proud smile, “Brendan has changed physically and socially on many levels since he has participated in this program. He's jumping; he's running; he's hitting balls; he's running bases. He's shown a lot of interest socially with his friends and with his typical peers. It's been an amazing program so far.”

Reports from parents are encouraging, and the science looks promising, too. Special Olympics commissioned the University of Massachusetts to conduct a study of Young Athletes pilot sites to learn more about the program’s benefits. Preliminary findings suggest that participation in Young Athletes may lead to improvements in motor development, social and emotional development and communication development.

"Sports play a critical role in the health and development of all children, including those with disabilities."
Hon. Ann Veneman, Executive Director, UNICEF

Found here

On intellectual disability as term by "Wikipedia"

They and other dictionary's will not stop using the r-word in till Congress says otherwise.

NOTE: I switch out MR for ID.

Intellectual disability is a generalized disorder, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors with onset before the age of 18. Once focused almost entirely on cognition, the definition now includes both a component relating to mental functioning and one relating to individuals' functional skills in their environment.

IQ below 70
The first English-language IQ test, the Terman-Binet, was adapted from an instrument used to measure potential to achieve developed by Binet in France. Terman translated the test and employed it as a means to measure intellectual capacity based on oral language, vocabulary, numerical reasoning, memory, motor speed and analysis skills. The mean score on the currently available IQ tests is 100, with a standard deviation of 15 (WAIS/WISC-IV) or 16 (Stanford-Binet). Sub-average intelligence is generally considered to be present when an individual scores two standard deviatons below the test mean. Factors other than cognitive ability (depression, anxiety, etc.) can contribute to low IQ scores; it is important for the evaluator to rule them out prior to concluding that measured IQ is "significantly below average".
The following ranges, based on Standard Scores of intelligence tests, reflect the categories of the American Association of Mental Retardation, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV-TR, and the International Classification of Diseases-10:

Class / IQ
Profound ID Below 20
Severe ID 20–34
Moderate ID 35–49
Mild ID 50–69
Borderline intellectual functioning 70–80

Since the diagnosis is not based only on IQ scores, but must also take into consideration a person's adaptive functioning, the diagnosis is not made rigidly. It encompasses intellectual scores, adaptive functioning scores from an adaptive behavior rating scale based on descriptions of known abilities provided by someone familiar with the person, and also the observations of the assessment examiner who is able to find out directly from the person what he or she can understand, communicate, and the like.

Found at Wikipedia
OR MR

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Do you know what’s it’s like to be different in a good way?

I do, I am one of them. I was born with Cerebral Hypertonia (an upper motor neuron dysfunction marked by an abnormal increase in tightness of muscle tone and a reduced ability of a muscle to stretch (i.e. an increased stiffness). Hypertonia is usually a feature of spasticity in particular muscles. These features are common in cerebral palsy).

I had a lot of therapy when I was little. I went to Purdue's Gym & Swim (I really liked the swimming part). I had therapy in school in till the last part of middle school. Deb, who was my therapist in school; new me sense I was two.

I was tough goings on in high school. I went to Lafayette Jeff and was in some Special Ed classes & basic classes (step above Special Ed).

still working on

Believe

Believe you can do anything
You put your mind to.

Believe in yourself
Because you are made in His image
And He wants you to do your best at whatever you do.

Believe you can reach the stars when you’re jumping.

Believe you can swim the English Channel
When you’re swimming a 100 free.

Believe you can bounce to the top of the moon
While you are playing bocce ball.

Believe you can hit the volleyball to the sun.

Believe you can put the horseshoe to dust.

Believe you can throw the basketball to the moon.

But most of all believe in yourself,
Because you are who you make yourself to be.
If you believe in yourself,
Then you can do and accomplish anything.

Belong

Do you belong in Special Olympics?
For me to belong in Special Olympics,
First I’m an athlete
Because I want Special Olympics
To be the best I can make it to be
And I also try to help other athletes as much as I can.

Do I belong in Special Olympics?
I belong in Special Olympics
Because I’m an athlete
And I’m in ALPs.

Do you belong in Special Olympics?
Just for the medals
Or for doing your best?

Do you belong in Special Olympics?
Just for being around your friends
Or do you just like the competition?

Do you belong in Special Olympics?
To get you’re swimming times down
Or do you just like the exercise it beings?

For me belonging in the Special Olympics
Means I can help myself to help other athletes.

I am someone

I am someone who has a disability.
I can do most things you can do.
I am just Mentally Challenged.
Having a disability does not stop me
From doing things I was meant to do.

I am someone who likes to swim
For the fitness it brings.
But needs help with my strokes.

You can be someone too

RESPECT

What does the word “RESPECT”
Mean to you?
To me, it mean’s
Don’t judge people
For what they are
But who they are inside
Because everyone deserves a chance
To be heard

But then there are those
That don’t RESPECT
Those with intellectual
By using the “R-WORD”.
I am not going to say it.
If you have watched “Tropic Thunder”
You will know what I mean

“Tropic Thunder” is out
And, “The Ringer” is in
Because Tropic Thunder
Makes fun of those with intellectual disabilities
No matter what Hollywood
Or, Ben Stiller says
They’re just in it for the money

Look at who the person is
Before you say anything
To that person
Because it just might be
Someone who will get you back
For what you say

“Sticks and stones
Won’t hurt my bones,
But words can be deadly”
If used wrong

On the r-word

Thousands of people have taken the pledge to stop using the word "retard" as an insult or a putdown. Here are just a few of the reasons why.

"I used to use the r-word every day, in a joking manner, calling friends it for the smallest things. I stopped when I started working at a rec center that had a Friday Morning kids time, and many of the children are intellectually challenged."

"To use that word towards a group of individuals who all they want is to love and to be loved is extremely hurtful. These individuals don't know how to hate because of your color or beliefs. We could all learn something from them."

"People do not realize the power that words can carry. Acceptance and tolerance have to be taught at home! We all have something wonderful and exciting to offer."

"Have courage to stand up for what you believe, not to sit idly and be an observer to others using the word. Celebrate the diversity in all people - everyone - no exceptions."

"My brother with Down syndrome has taught me more than most people in my life. I cannot think of growing up without him! I pledge with joy to remove this word!"

"I have fought against the use of this word ALL my life. In high school I walked out and refused to play basketball (first line varsity) because my coach used this word and refused to apologize. I never played on a team again. Proud we are taking a stand."

"I want my children to receive the gifts of all kinds of people and take risks as they explore their own gifts and learn how to partner with others, especially folks who are in some way 'different.' The R-word just separates people and dissolves trust."

"I pledge because of my son. I would never desire for him to be called that and then come home and ask me what it meant! Potential is not dependent upon IQ."

If we all tell 10 people to stop using this word, and they pledge and tell 10 more people, we will have this around the world in a short time, and we will ALL stop using it and start encouraging one another!

If you look up intellectual_disabilities all you get is this.

UNIFIED SPORTS BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER

Team sports are about having fun, promoting physical health and bringing people together. Special Olympics Unified Sports® teams do all of that – and shatter stereotypes about intellectual disability in the process.

Bringing People Together
In communities around the world, from the United States to Southeast Asia, Special Olympics athletes and their teammates without intellectual disabilities practice and play together on Unified Sports teams.

Unified Sports is a moving and exciting initiative for higher ability athletes of all ages, from youth to adults. Mixed teams provide the public direct opportunities to experience first-hand the capabilities and courage of Special Olympics athletes.

By having fun together in a variety of sports ranging from basketball to golf to figure skating, Unified Sports athletes and partners improve their physical fitness, sharpen their skills, challenge the competition and help to overcome prejudices about intellectual disability.

Inspiring Leadership
Special Olympics Unified Sports is fun for all ages – but is particularly powerful as an educational tool in schools. Special education teachers have reported the program to be extremely effective at integrating youth, promoting physical activity and inspiring leadership. One teacher reported, “I’ve seen more interaction on the field today between classmates than I’ve seen in my classroom all year.”

"Passing a ball across a court or racing down a field side by side teaches tolerance and acceptance in a way that is rarely achieved in the classroom."
K. Riordan, Special Olympics Unified Team Coach

The difference between the Special Olympics and Paralympics

Special Olympics is for those only with intellectual disabilities that are 8 or older. I can't be sure, but even those with IEPs can be included.

The Paralympic Games are a multi-sport event for athletes with physical and visual disabilities. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Paralympic Games are held every four years, following the Olympic Games, and are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The Paralympic Games are sometimes confused with the Special Olympics World Games, which are only for people with intellectual disabilities.

Monday, September 21, 2009

What is Special Olympics

The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Have fun and build skills and self-esteem, all while participating in year-round sports training and competition. Whatever your age or skill level, with 30 sports to choose from, Special Olympics has something for every athlete.

Special Olympics athletes are the heart of our movement. With over 30 Olympic-type sports, there is something for everyone. You can find a Special Olympics training or competition happening 365 days in more than 180 countries. Whatever your skill level and whatever your motivation for participating and competing, there is opportunity to excel and have fun.

"I was once very shy and not willing to talk with others. Special Olympics changed my life and my love of sports and helped me achieve all this unimaginable success."
Xu Chuang, Special Olympics China Athlete and International Global Messenger

Mariah Carey - Hero

This song and poem is for Eunice Kennedy Shriver who passed this year. She started Special Olympics.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver 1921-2009 was the greatest HERO to us all.

You are the hero within all of us
For starting something so great
You changed the world for the better
We will be forever grateful for it
Thank you
I and all the athlete's thank you

For starting something that will last a lifetime
For without Special Olympics
I would not be who I am today

You will live on in all of us
And we are forever grateful for you
For without your vision
We would be the same world
As it was so many years ago
Before you started Special Olympics

I cry in your name
Not because you passed
But because of what you started
You are the inspiration we all need
To be the athletes we are today

I thank you
For having a dream
That we can all win

Being in Special Olympics
Makes all the hurt
From kids in school go away
That make fun of us
For what we are
They don’t look at who we are

I have been hurt
Just like others like me in school
Some I can’t forget
But Special Olympics
Makes it all better
For, they see you for who you are
Not what you are

For, if only all kids with intellectual disabilities
Could see that Special Olympics
Can change their lives
They would be much better off

Those with intellectual disabilities just want to be the same
As those without intellectual disabilities
Have a life they can be proud of
Looked up to for who they are
Not what they are

Don’t we all want to do something good with our lives?
Live out our lives as God planned for us
Whatever that may be

I know that’s what I want to be
And, do something special with my life
In grade school I would look at all the other kids
And, ask mom when I got home
“Why did God make me this way?”
I know God has a plan for all of us
We might have to go through some tough times
But, we can make it through the rain

The climb is long
But, we will get their in time
To see the founder again

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