Josie, 15, and Amberlynn, 17, are Youth Leaders from Missouri, USA. Josie and Amberlynn are both student leaders at their school and active with Special Olympics Missouri. Josie has been competing in Special Olympics track for many years. This year, she participated in the first ever Unified Track Relays and Unified Leadership Captain X-Games. She became a Youth Leader because she loves to see the joy it brings to all involved! Amberlynn is new to Special Olympics, she became a Unified partner this year, but she has loved her experience building memories, making friends, and creating positive change!
Josie and Amberlynn have found that their community has a fear of difference. Despite their hard work promoting an inclusive culture, they see mistreatment both online and in-person of those with intellectual disabilities merely because of their perceived differences. Josie and Amberlynn see these issues in their own school and community and want to help make a change.
Josie and Amberlynn plan to promote inclusion through making their school a Unified Champion School. They plan to use the #ICANHELP Digital4Good Curriculum to educate the students and community about how to positively use social media in student-led trainings. They will hold an annual Special Olympics track meet with a dozen schools and 100 plus athletes and host the second annual Unified Leadership Day Captain X Games for surrounding schools with 50 Unified pairs from four schools this year. These events will involve student volunteers and engage the entire school. They will also send two sets of Unified partners to the Missouri Association of Student Councils Summer Leadership Camp to further develop their leadership skills.
Their primary goal with this project is to change the culture of their school and community to one of meaningful inclusion with lasting friendships among those with and without intellectual disabilities. They want students and adults to see that when everyone works together our differences are strengths. Josie and Amberlynn hope to not only impact their community but surrounding communities as well through their participation in the Special Olympics Track Meet and Unified Leadership Day.