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.
Universities in Kansas Get Active and Show Off Creativity with SONA Move Challenge
Five universities across the state of Kansas participated in the SONA Move Challenge, an 8-week movement challenge to see how many minutes of exercise participants could complete each week, to compensate for the loss of in-person sporting events and social activities.
3 Min Read
Special Olympics & LCIF Celebrate 20 Years of Partnership
Special Olympics and the Lions Club International Foundation celebrate a 20 year partnership.
2 Min Read
Faces of Inclusion: Stories of Impact from Play Unified: Learn Unified
Read the stories of just a few of the athletes, peer partners, Youth Leaders, coaches, teachers, parents and organizational partners around the globe leading the charge for inclusion through Play Unified: Learn Unified.
2 Min Read
Special Olympics North Dakota Coach Teaches Athletes to be Successful Away from the Game
Special Olympics North Dakota head coach David Schultheis has been around the world with Special Olympics. But even with the worldwide experience, Schultheis says his favorite memory actually happened a little closer to home: at a swim meet in North Carolina.
4 Min Read
Special Olympics Athlete Aims to Make History Crossing Ocean from the Bahamas to Florida
Under the blistering Florida summer sun, 16-year-old Layla Crehan has been paddling for many hours. But the Special Olympics Florida athlete is exactly where she wants to be: out on the water on her stand up paddleboard. Her stand up paddleboard journey started just a few years ago, without Crehan realizing how quickly she would take to it or just how far it would take her.
6 Min Read
Chris Nikic to Receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2021 ESPYS
Chris Nikic, the first person with Down syndrome to complete a full IRONMAN triathlon, will receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2021 ESPYS.
1 Min Read
Supporting Holistic Development: The Story of Two Teachers, Ms. Lai and Ms. Ciou
Special education teachers Ms. Lai and Ms. Ciou have watched their school community grow and thrive through Unified Sports in Taiwan.
2 Min Read
Strengthening Sibling Bonds: The Story of Two Brothers, Samuel and Fabio
In Brazil, Play Unified: Learn Unified has helped bridge the gap between brothers Samuel and Fabio, who have had vastly different educational and social experiences.
2 Min Read
Connecting Online: The Story of Stephanie and Stany, a Unified Pair
Youth Leaders in Indonesia are taking advantage of the virtual world by hosting webinars surrounding content creation and inclusion.
2 Min Read
Promoting Friendship and Understanding: The Story of Loau, a Peer Partner
During the pandemic, Special Olympics Chile coordinated with Chile's National Ministry of Education to create a virtual physical education curriculum for students of all abilities.
1 Min Read
Finding the Essence of Unified: The Story of Deogratis, a Teacher
Deogratis, a physical education teacher in Tanzania, uses Unified Sports to spread inclusion in his school community.
2 Min Read
Raising the Bar for Inclusive Youth Leadership: The Story of Doukas School
Outside Athens, Greece, a yearly, student-run MATP event brings together private school students and local youth with disabilities.
2 Min Read