Klara's project aimed to raise awareness about Special Olympics and introduce inclusive bocce matches to local schools and universities. Klara presented her fellow classmates at the Palacký University Olomouc and other schools to introduce disability inclusion and Special Olympics to a wide variety of students. Her main goal was to encourage young people to join the Special Olympics movement as volunteers and Unified Partners.
Klara was inspired by her university professor, a director of Bocce Ball in the Czech Republic, who introduced her to the sport and Special Olympics. Her professor instructed students with utmost enthusiasm, which captivated Klara. As Klara continued to play Bocce, she realized that it was something that she wanted to pursue. With the support of her professor, Klara emulated the same passion and dedication she saw from other mentors and players to become a champion of inclusion through the sport she came to love.
Klara held several lectures across many schools, including her own, promoting increased understanding and knowledge about intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Then, she organized Bocce tournaments, where students could try out the sport themselves and experience firsthand inclusive athletics. This helped encourage many students to become volunteers and Unified Partners. Her project successfully shared the joy of Special Olympics and Bocce ball with many of her classmates and the community.
Red, Green, White; Its Alright! was a project that brought joy and understanding to all the participants. Supported by her professor, Klara was able to spread awareness about inclusivity in sports and increase interest in Special Olympics. Beyond the initial project, Klara continues to combine Bocce and advocacy by training coaches as a referee. She has ambitious goals to organize national tournaments and continue to speak at schools and universities, spreading word about Special Olympics to many more people around the world.
Klara’s favorite memory from her project was seeing the surprised and delighted expressions of her classmates trying Bocce for the first time. As they began to play, she notes feeling proud of the simultaneous interest in the sport and the awareness it raised about Special Olympics. According to Klara, everyone was always smiling on tournament days, which really drove home the ability of sports to unite people together.