School Enrichment:  Join the Youth Fan Club

The Special Olympics movement, our athletes, and the upcoming 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games sound a call to action for Idaho’s youth–and youth throughout the world–to create a more compassionate world beginning with each of us, starting now!

Building on and enhancing the global Special Olympics set of resources, Special Olympics Get Into It®, the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games School and Youth Enrichment Program is a K-16 education initiative that provides educators, youth leaders and youth, tools and resources to teach and learn about compassion, diversity, and respect as exemplified through the Special Olympics movement and athletes.

Research indicates that it is only through direct experience with people with intellectual disabilities that attitudes and behaviors change. The Special Olympics education initiative embeds the findings of this research to support long-term behavior and attitude change of our youth.

The materials include challenging activities to heighten youth dialogue and awareness of diversity. The tenacity and courage exemplified by the Special Olympics athletes is the backdrop for youth discussion and action about removing the barriers surrounding disabilities. Lastly, service-learning activities challenge each youth to act—with thoughtfulness, compassion, peace and respect.

The School and Youth Enrichment Program includes a rich selection of lessons and activities from which educators, youth leaders and youth can select. As part of the upcoming 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, additional high interest activities and competitions are being offered to enhance youth involvement and dialogue. By the World Winter Games in 2009, our goal is that all Idaho youth will be touched by these resources and compelled to act with compassion, always.

SCHOOL AND YOUTH ENRICHMENT PROGRAM VISION

Celebrate courage, tenacity and the dignity of human life through involvement in Special Olympics and the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho, USA;
Build onto a global set of resources that challenges perceptions about intellectual disability, builds capacity for youth engagement, fosters cultural understanding and values diversity;
Reach all youth wherever they are—private schools, public schools, home-schools, after school programs, clubs, and online;
Engage youth along with Special Olympics athletes in meaningful, active collaboration and dialogue through webinars, public art projects, arts competition, youth theatre, service grants, inspirational speakers, and more;
Challenge youth to act with thoughtfulness, compassion, peace, and respect.

Special Olympics believes that through sports youth can make a difference in friendships, schools and communities;

Special Olympics recognizes that through sports training and competition, people with intellectual disability inspire hope, dignity, and courage;

Special Olympics invites youth through sports to understand and to value their peers with intellectual disability and empowers youth to create opportunities for and with them in friendship.

Special Olympics Youth Fan Club Calls to Action

• Join:   Campaign to ban the “R” word (retard) so everyone    understands the problems with name calling.
• Volunteer:   Get into the game. Play!  Unified Sports. Coach at a local Special Olympics event.
• Share:   Tell your story about being a fan for Special Olympics. Raise awareness.
• Give:   Donate or raise funds to local Special Olympics Program or Neediest Special Olympics Programs around the world.

BE A FAN OF EDUCATION! To learn more or schedule an event in your school, contact our education director at education@2009WorldGames.org.