2008 Special Olympics Invitational Winter Games

Youth Summit Stories

The Special Olympics highly values young people and recognizes their growth potential not only as future leaders, but also current leaders in their schools and communities. For this reason, the Special Olympics hosts a variety of Youth Summits locally, nationally, regionally and globally to channel the energies of these exemplary young people. The purpose of a Youth Summit is to bring together 10-20 youth pairs, ranging from ages 12 to 17. Each pair is composed of one Special Olympics athlete and one partner without an intellectual disability who, together, serve as delegates representing their school, community, state/province or nation.

The following stories are written by students who participated in the 2008 Special Olympics Invitational Winter Games Youth Summit:

  

Chairman of Special Olympics, Timothy Shriver, has a vision for the movement

Tim Shriver has been working with the 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 the Special Olympics.  He now works as the leader of the Special Olympics International program.  Currently they are trying to increase the size of their chapter in the Congo.  His goal is to show people that the Special Olympics are not an event that happens once a year.  It happens all year long, and is an entire movement not just one event.  Mr. Shriver's main goal is to get millions of non-disabled teens around the world involved with the organization.  He wants them to be fans, not sympathizers.  Another campaign the Special Olympics is sponsoring, is banning the "R" word.  He is challenging high schools around the world to try and get 100% of the student body to sign a pledge to ban the use of the word "retard".

-Kayla Ayala and Miranda Williams (Wood River High School, Ketchum, ID) and Nicole Quade (Riverstone International School, Boise, ID)

 

Global Messenger begins new role as coach

Kirk Grogan was a multi-event competitor in the Special Olympics for seven years. This year he is a coach for several people in the snow-shoeing event.  He came to Boise from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Last year he traveled to Shanghai, China to compete. He spoke at the opening ceremony at the 2008 Invitational Games on the BSU campus in Boise, Idaho. He is also a Global Messenger for the Special Olympics. His inspiration to go from being a competitor to being a coach is the smile that he sees on the face of someone that he trained as they come across the finish line.

-Cody Mortensen and Chauncey McGraw (Wood River High School, Ketchum, ID) and Kevin Russell (Boise High School, Boise, ID)

 

Special Olympics athletes moving beyond friendship

Twenty-seven-year-old Jacob Watkins, A.K.A. Big Dog on his snowshoeing team from Coeur D’Alene, ID and twenty-two 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 Olympic Games.” These two competitors value the competition that Special Olympics offer and are both proud to serve there country and represent their beautiful state. They both have snowshoed competitively for four years. Watkins proclaimed that he was engaged to Linder after he hopped out of a sumo wrestler suit were he wrestled for quite awhile. He gave her a peck on the cheek and they stayed around to tell us more engagement details. “I am so excited that I am finally getting married to the man of my dreams,” Linder said. The wedding is scheduled for this August 23. Later she added that they had met at the 2005 Special Olympics while competing in golf.

Both Living in Coeur D’Alene they work hard, and train for snow shoeing in the winter and basket ball and golfing in the summer. Watkins works at the Albertson’s in Coeur D’Alene, bagging and Linder works at a day care center.

The 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 Global Messenger were he talks at schools all around Coeur D’Alene, speaking about these events. I am proud that they have taken so much involvement in the Special Olympics, and that they have over come and achieved what every American has dreamed of doing--becoming an athlete.   

-Nathan Lago and Sean Sutton (Wood River Middle School, Hailey, ID) and Tyler Walters, Morningside Middle School, Twin Falls, ID)

 

Love Birds

Jacob Watkins and Adina M. Linder are two Athletes who are competing in the Special Olympics Invitational Winter Games of 2008.  They are engaged to get married in August 23, 2008 in Post Falls, Idaho. Their wedding is going to take place outdoors.  Jacob proposed to Adina on a golf course during previous games. They are currently competing in snowshoeing. Jacob came in 2nd place in the 100mm race at a speed of 31.70 seconds.
As for Adina, she 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.  They have been in the Special Olympics for six years.  Well, Jacob has and Adina for two or three years.  They are not in the Special Olympics for winning medals nor showing off their moves but, to make friends and hanging out with them.

These two athletes were asked if they would ever change who they are. They responded, “we would never change for anything.”

-Pedro Santos (Twin Falls High School, Twin Falls, ID) and JT Sutton and Karl Sluder (Wood River Middle School, Hailey, ID)

 

All-Around athlete gets much from Special Olympics

Steven J. McGrath, or Steve as he likes to be called is a participant in the Special Olympics.  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 the 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 ’67 Malibu Chevelle and has worked at the Red Lobster in Boise since 1989. He enjoys participating in the Special Olympics with his sister who is also an athlete.  His favorite thing about being an athlete in the Special Olympics is that he gets to meet new people and make new friends every year.   

-Miranda Williams and Kayla Ayala (Wood River High School, Ketchum, ID)

 

Film Producer proves to be a versatile Volunteer with Special Olympics

Mat Gershater was announcing at the 2008 Special Olympics Invitational Winter Games Snowshoeing competition today.  He was also 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 the Special Olympics after filming World of Differences.

World of Differences is a film that highlights the Special Olympics and athletes with different abilities in our communities.  He’s continued working with the program because he enjoys working with the athletes and being around their positive, contagious 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. 

-Miranda Williams and Kayla Ayala (Wood River High School, Ketchum, ID)

 

Caldwell Floor Hockey

Jolyn T. Elordi is 19 years old and plays on the Caldwell Floor Hockey Special Olympics 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 Caldwell team and also being in the 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 players. When Jolyn was asked what is the biggest penalty in the game was she stated that  high sticking is the biggest penalty and the consequence is that the player has to sit out for one minute. The final question Jolyn was asked was what is the best thing about being involved with Special Olympics. She stated that being with friends and teammates and being a role model for all the other athletes that want to participate in the Special Olympics. 

-Greg Hernadez and Pat Teach (Caldwell High School, Caldwell, ID)

 

On the Go Year-Round with Special Olympics

David Gish has been involved with Special Olympics for five years. David’s favorite sport during winter is snowshoeing.  His favorite sport during summer is bowling. His inspiration for Special Olympics is his coach Rick Pruett. David’s favorite thing about Special Olympics is meeting new friends and competitors.  He loves to dance and speak with the media. He loves the Special Olympics and wants to compete as long as he can.

-Cody Mortenson and Chauncey McGraw (Wood River High School, Ketchum, ID)

 

Kuwait athlete goes for the gold

A young man from Kuwait by the name Abdalwahap A. Allaesma shows his passion for the Special Olympics by playing floor hockey. Abdalwahap goes to a school called Lebitation and when asked what inspired him to join the Special Olympics he said his friends who have been in the Special Olympics  for many years inspired him. He stated that one of his team mates played in the 1993 Olympics. His goal for the Olympics is to win gold medals. The most important thing for him and the team is to cooperate with each other.

-Greg Hernandez and Pat Teach (Caldwell High school, Caldwell, ID) 

 

Kuwait Team receives bracelets made by Caldwell High School special education classes

The Caldwell High School Special Education classes, made bracelets in red ,white, and blue, to give to teams who came to America and Idaho from around the world.   They wrote “Welcome to Idaho, USA. Please write me. Thank you.” on a post card.  The hope was that they would get correspondence from the athletes once they returned home.  
 The Kuwait team was given bracelets for each of their team members.  They were very pleased with the gift.

-Greg Hernandez and Pat Teach (Caldwell High School, Caldwell, ID)