Stories
These global stories are about the power of Special Olympics to inspire hope, confidence and courage. Special Olympics changes the lives of our athletes with intellectual disabilities but also our coaches, families, volunteers and others who have the opportunity to take part.
Experiences With Autism: In Our Own Words
For World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April 2021, we came up a few survey questions for fellow Special Olympics athletes with autism. We both work at Special Olympics. Josh is an Assistant in the Business Services department and Jerry works as a Specialist with the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® program. Through these answers, we hope readers will learn that people with autism have a wide variety of talents, outlooks and experiences.
Article and interviews by Jerry Holy and Josh Cohen
Article and interviews by Jerry Holy and Josh Cohen
Special Olympics Invites Your Middle and High School Students to a Digital Youth Summit!
Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools is hosting the Digital Youth Summit: Inclusion in Action on May 7, 2021 from 5:00 – 7:00PM ET for all middle and high school students.
1 Min Read
Let’s Get Active—Gif Edition!
What are short, fun, and seem to be on an endless energetic loop? Gifs of course…and children!
2 Min Read
“They empowered me, and I empowered them” – Gerald Mballe on Live Like You Play podcast
Gerald Mballe, long time Special Olympics Italy Unified Partner and now Advisor for Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, shares a powerful and moving conversation about his life and sport with David Eades on Sports for Humanity's podcast, Live Like You Play.
2 Min Read
One Step Further: Living and Thriving with Cerebral Palsy
A first-person story about living with cerebral palsy.
I was born on Nov. 18, 1993, but my story really didn’t start until I was six months old.
5 Min Read
“Healthy In Body, Heart & Mind”
One of April’s “Autism Awareness” themes is celebrating ways that people with autism lead full and healthy lives. For the Taylor twins, that’s something they celebrate every day.
1 Min Read
Heidi & Mohamed’s Unified Siblings Fitness Story
Every year, we have high hopes for the next year to be better than the next year, but 2020 was a whole different story.
1 Min Read
As Schools Push to Reopen, Use These Free Resources to Promote an Inclusive Mindset
Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools offers free resources to help students and educators reenter the in-person school setting with an inclusive mindset.
2 Min Read
An Athlete and an Ambassador from Special Olympics Profiled in Vogue for World Down Syndrome Day
For World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March, 2021, Vogue spoke to seven people with Down Syndrome to learn more about their experiences in an article titled “I Believe It Is My Destiny To Win An Oscar One Day”: 7 People Who Have Down’s Syndrome Share Their Experiences. Included in the interviews were Special Olympics Great Britain athlete Neil Price and Champion Ambassador Lily D Moore.
1 Min Read
Women of World Games
In 1968, two women, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Chief Justice Anne Burke combined forces to organize the first Special Olympics event. In the decades since, women have been working behind the scenes in many different roles to coordinate and lead Special Olympics World Games execution.
Timothy Shriver Is Getting Excited About the World Winter Games in Russia
In a recent Cheddar interview, Special Olympics Chairman of the Board Timothy Shriver expressed his excitement about the Special Olympics World Winter Games Kazan 2022 to be held in Russia.
1 Min Read
“17 Hours: The Chris Nikic Story” Premieres on ESPN in Honor of World Down Syndrome Day
SC Featured film follows Chris’s journey as he becomes the first person with Down syndrome to complete a full IRONMAN Triathlon.
1 Min Read