Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver Has a Vision for the Movement
By Kayla Ayala and Miranda Williams, Wood River High School, Ketchum, and Nicole Quade, Riverstone International School, Boise
Tim Shriver has been working with Special Olympics since he was a little kid. He started as a youth partner and then organized a Special Olympics track and field event at his high school when he was a junior. He was a special education teacher for over 13 years, inspiring him to become involved again with Special Olympics. He now works as the leader of Special Olympics International. Currently they are trying to increase the size of their Program in the Congo. His goal is to show people that Special Olympics is not an event that happens once a year. It happens all year long, and is an entire movement, not just one event. Shriver's main goal is to get millions of teens without intellectual disabilities around the world involved with the organization. He wants them to be fans, not sympathizers. Another campaign Special Olympics is sponsoring is banning the "R word.” He is challenging high schools around the world to try and get 100 percent of the student body to sign a pledge to ban the use of the word "retard."
Global Messenger Begins New Role as a Coach
By Cody Mortensen and Chauncey McGraw, Wood River High School, and Kevin Russell, Boise High School
Kirk Grogan was a multi-event competitor in Special Olympics for seven years. This year he is a coach for several people in the snowshoeing event. He came to Boise from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Last year he traveled to Shanghai, China, to compete in the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games. He spoke at the Opening Ceremony at the 2008 Invitational Winter Games at BSU campus in Boise, Idaho. He is also a Global Messenger for Special Olympics. His inspiration to go from being a competitor to being a coach is the smile he sees on the face of someone he trained as they come across the finish line.
Special Olympics Athletes Moving Beyond Friendship
By Nathan Lago, Sean Sutton from Wood River Middle School, Hailey and Tyler Walters from Morningside Middle School, Twin Falls
Twenty-seven year old Jacob Watkins, also known as “Big Dog” on his snowshoeing team from Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, and 22-year-old Adina Linder are excited for their turn to run in the snowshoeing event in Sun Valley. Watkins stated, “After many years of this program in different states and countries, I think that it is about time for Idaho to take its turn hosting the Special Olympics Games.” These two competitors value the competition that Special Olympics offers and are both proud to represent their beautiful state. They both have snowshoed competitively for four years. Watkins proclaimed that he was engaged to Linder, and gave her a peck on the cheek as they stayed around to tell us more themselves. Linder said, “I am so excited that I am finally getting married to the man of my dreams.” The wedding is scheduled for August 23. Later she added that they had met at a Special Olympics golf competition in 2005.
Both Watkins and Linder live in Coeur D'Alene where they work hard, training for snowshoeing in the winter and basketball and golfing in the summer. Watkins works at the Albertson's Market in Coeur D'Alene as a bagger, and Linder works at a day care center.
Special Olympics has much in store for these two athletes. They also would like for every school in Idaho to know how hard they work to get into these events. To help this cause, Watkins has become a Special Olympics Global Messenger, talking at schools all around Coeur D'Alene about Special Olympics and what it means to him. I am proud that they are so involved in Special Olympics, and that they have overcome obstacles and achieved what every American dreams of doing… becoming an athlete.
Love Birds
By Pedro Santos, Twin Falls High School; JT Sutton, Wood River Middle School; Karl Sluder, Wood River Middle School
Jacob Watkins and Adina M. Linder are two athletes who are competing in the 2008 Special Olympics Invitational Winter Games. They are engaged to be married on August 23, 2008, in Post Falls, Idaho. Their wedding is going to take place outdoors. Jacob proposed to Adina on a golf course during a previous Special Olympics Games. They are currently competing in snowshoeing. Jacob came in 2nd place in the 100mm race at a speed of 31.70 seconds, and Adina placed 4th at a rate of 26.90 seconds in the 100mm.
What does the lovely couple have in common? They both love to perform in sports. Jacob has been in Special Olympics for six years, and Adina three years. They are not in Special Olympics for winning medals or showing off their moves, but to make friends and hang out with them.
These two athletes were asked if they would ever change who they are. They responded, “We would never change for anything.”
All-Around Athlete Gets Much from Special Olympics
By Miranda Williams and Kayla Ayala, Wood River High School
Steven J. McGrath or Steve, as he likes to be called, is a Special Olympics athlete. Steve is 41 years old, but loves to swap the numbers and become 14 again. He lives in Boise, Idaho, and has been involved with Special Olympics since 1987. He has participated in floor hockey, basketball, softball, soccer, and cross-country skiing in both Summer and Winter Games and the World Games. He has a passion for cars and was actually able to guess my exact car, down to the color! He drives a 1967 Malibu Chevelle and has worked at the Red Lobster in Boise since 1989. He enjoys participating in Special Olympics with his sister, who is also an athlete. His favorite thing about being a Special Olympics athlete is that he gets to meet new people and make new friends every year.
Film Producer Proves to be a Versatile Volunteer with Special Olympics
By Miranda Williams and Kayla Ayala, Wood River High School
Mat Gershater was announcing at the Special Olympics Invitational Winter Games snowshoeing competition today. He was the producer and narrator of the movie “World of Differences” that was shot in the fall of 2007 all over Idaho. He is 29 years old and runs Mountain Adventure Tours and also works with 48-Straight. He became involved with Special Olympics after filming “World of Differences.”
“World of Differences” is a film that highlights Special Olympics and people with different abilities in our communities. He's continued working with Special Olympics because he enjoys working with the athletes and being around their contagious positive attitudes. His main goal is to get people to acknowledge their similarities and share what they have in common, but also to celebrate their differences.
Invitational Games Experience is Life-Changing
By David Archbold, Eagle Academy
My impression of the floor hockey competition at the 2008 Special Olympics Invitational Winter Games was that these athletes work just as hard as or harder than the rest of us. Something that I think is an important quality is the determination that each and every one of the athletes share. Just the few days I've spent at these awesome Games were life-changing for me, not just my opinions, but how I feel about this great program that millions of people are involved in. Because of my experience, I think I should start a fundraiser at my school and convince companies to participate.
Caldwell Floor Hockey
By Greg Hernadez and Pat Teach, Caldwell High School
Jolyn T. Elordi is 19 years old and plays on the Special Olympics Caldwell (Idaho, USA) floor hockey team. She was very excited to tell us about her experiences and how the game is played. This is Joyln's first year playing on the team and also her first year in Special Olympics. Joyln explains that there are three forwards, two guards and one goalie in the exciting game of floor hockey. Jolyn also stated that each game is three minutes and then they rotate. When Jolyn was asked what the biggest penalty in the game is, she said high-sticking, and the consequence is that the player has to sit out for one minute. When Jolyn was asked what she thought was the best thing about being in Special Olympics, she said being with friends and your teammates, and also being a role model for all the other athletes that want to participate in Special Olympics.
On the Go Year-Round with Special Olympics
By Greg Hernandez and Pat Teach, Caldwell High School