Jose Joel and Orlando Ariel, youth leaders from Special Olympics Panama, organized a Unified mixed basketball event to introduce young people in their community to Unified Sports. The project was part of a series of exchange projects connecting youth leaders from Panama and Connecticut, giving young leaders the opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another, and promote inclusion across communities.

The project brought young people together to experience the power of teamwork, inclusion, and shared participation. The goal was to help young people understand the role of Unified teams, promote inclusion in the community, and showcase the talents and abilities of Special Olympics athletes.
Jose Joel and Orlando Ariel have both competed with Special Olympics Panama for several years. Their coaches and teammates inspired them to become advocates for inclusion and use their experiences to create more opportunities for young people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities in their community.
The project planted a seed among young people to create a more inclusive community where all people are welcomed and supported.

Building on the success of the event, Jose Joel and Orlando Ariel plan to continue organizing activities with local schools. They hope to invite students to become Unified partners across different sports and encourage them to get involved as volunteers.
The project demonstrated the power of inclusion through Unified Sports and highlighted the important role sports can play in bringing communities together. Participants gained a greater understanding of the Special Olympics movement and experienced how Unified Sports can create meaningful opportunities for people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities to connect and participate together.
Before the project, Jose Joel and Orlando Ariel primarily saw themselves as basketball players. Through organizing and leading the event, they discovered that they could also be leaders and advocates for inclusion.

They are especially proud of successfully organizing and implementing the project and showing themselves and their community that they can lead, inspire others, and carry the message of inclusion forward.