You’d never think helping others could be so fun and inspirational. A day that changed my life and attitude was in 8th grade when I got the opportunity to help in the elementary, middle school Special Olympics for the county and Crown Sports Center. Helping with the Special Olympics is really important to me because I have a cousin, who I really care about that is special needs. My health teachers picked out at least 30 kids, who they thought were going to be respectful and responsible on this amazing opportunity, and I was so lucky to be one of them. I knew when they day came, it was going to be filled with excitement and happiness. The morning of that special day we had to be at crown around 7:30 am to start setting up the obstacles. As …show more content…
As we began the activities, I participated at the shooting station, there was also passing, dribbling, kicking, and full on soccer games. At my station I would be the goalie and they would have to try and get the ball passed me, you would never think such small kids have such a powerful kick. After switching stations about 4 times we took a break for them to rehydrate and reenergize. My friend, her eyes like fire (ab.) walked to sit down because she wasn’t feeling good after not having anything to drink and working in such a hot building. After about a 30-minute break for refreshments we went back to the stations until we got all groups finished. Before awards we still had to have lunch and finish a few more of the full-on soccer games. I didn’t want to sit there and do nothing waiting for the food to arrive and awards to come, so I decided to go and help referee the soccer games. Soon as I get on the field, and seeing their faces light up with such a big smile when they scored was a memory I wouldn’t give away in a million years, their whole team would run and celebrate together and even the other team members would come over and congratulate them. Running back and forth trying to keep up, I wondered if I was ever going to get a chance to catch my breath (part.) because those kids sure do run
After 12 hours of surgery, assisting in a large operation for a young guy with "Treacher Collins syndrome". It was aw-inspiring how the team of OMS approached the patient, constructing his orbits, grafting and correcting his dentofacial deformity. Although I was exhausted, but I enjoyed every second of the operation and felt really proud and I knew that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Can you single out just one day from your past that you can honestly say changed your life forever? I know I can. It was a typical January day, with one exception; it was the day the Pope came to St. Louis. My brother and I had tickets to the youth rally, and we were both very excited. It was destined to be an awesome day- or so we thought. The glory and euphoria of the Papal visit quickly faded into a time of incredible pain and sorrow, a time from which I am still emerging.
"Sarah, we need your help in the Ukraine this summer. Can I count on you?" This question changed my life profoundly. I was asked to be a counselor on JOLT, Jewish Oversees Leadership Program, an opportunity to interact with young campers in an impoverished country and positively influence their lives. Little did I realize that this experience would impact mine so greatly.
Everyone has a special event that determines our life journey. This event can give us identity, happiness or even pain and sadness. The special event that changed my life was deciding to play basketball because basketball helped me find peace, happiness and gave me identity. When I was ten years old my grandfather succumbed to cancer. His death created hatred inside of me.
According to a community soccer organization in Southern California, “the American Youth Soccer Organization hands out roughly 3,500 awards each season — each player gets one, while around a third get two” (Merryman). This community also spends up to twelve percent of the athletic budget a year on these types of trophies. The way this community values awards to children is not beneficial and does not teach them important life lessons. Giving every child a trophy in a community may cause them to underachieve; on the other hand it can also be a motivator to keep some kids active in sports. In sports as well as life there are winners and losers and children have to start understanding that little by little.
The tour is open to student enrolled in the Diploma of Sport and Development. This project gives the student the opportunity to stay and volunteer in the USA for two weeks. Giving them opportunity to understand and learn from the sport industry in the USA. From the 25 July to the 2 August 2015, Los Angeles, California will be hosting The 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games. This event will cater for 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing over 170 countries, utilising 30,000 volunteers. This is slated to be the world’s largest sports and humanitarian event in 2015. This event would not exist without the commitment of volunteers. The main focus of this program is for the students to undertake a volunteering role which will provide an international work placement experience at an international event. The students will gain valuable experiences, developing skills and knowledge in the sport and recreation industry with a core focus on innovation and working with people with disabilities and the opportunity to participate in the life of one of the most culturally exciting, and stimulating cities in in the USA whilst travelling throughout destinations in Los Angeles.
I woke up to the sound of my cousin screaming and ran into the living room to witness the second airplane crash into the World Trade Center. I remember my heart racing, my body feeling numb, and my mind jumping into a state of fear and shock. It was the day I realized that life should never be taken for granted. I watched as the first responders risked their lives to save others. I witnessed the love for humanity as they displayed it through their actions of courage. This experience ignited a fire in me to do the same
Importance of Special Olympics “Every year around 4.2 million special needs participants attend Special Olympics events around the world.” (Special Olympics). Special Olympics gives individuals with disabilities an opportunity to enjoy participating in sports in the same ways as any other athlete. Special Olympics shows the accomplishments, skill and the bravery of the athletes. Athletics, through Special Olympics, make a positive impact on the lives of those with special needs, allowing them to lead active lives.
During the mid nineteen hundred, disabled people were considered useless and were not accepted by the “normal” population. Eunice Kennedy Shriver changed the view on the disabled or also called “retarded” population by founding Camp Shriver, and working with the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation to establish the first ever Special Olympics. These major changes ultimately created rights and finally made the “retarded” an accepted population.
The athletes are all lined up to race. A handful from each county, with their hometown flag across their chest. The sound of the gun rings in their ears, and they push off and take off running with the smell of gunpowder filling their nose. The crowd roars and it is just a mix of colors and faces. Everyone is looking at them, cheering for them. The games is so much more than competing though. Many think that the special olympics has no benefits for the athletes and is just fun, but that is not the case. The athletes and community grow physically emotionally, and with their medical finances.
Abstract: The Special Olympics not only give special athletes athletic skills, they offer more opportunity, encouragement, and dexterity to survive in society than the public school system alone. To understand the differences and similarities between handicapped athletes and their non-handicap peers is the first step in creating a program that best meets the child's needs. There were no community programs that catered to the mentally and physically challenged, so Eunice Kennedy-Shriver created "special games" in her back yard for her handicapped child. Shriver established the Special Olympics in 1968. Today there are more than one million special athletes competing in 140 countries. There are some problems with relying on the public school system to seek a child's full potential in the special education programs. The Special Olympics, however, have found an effective method of preparing children, teens, and adults for society through sport. The diverse selection of sports, their rules, and physical demands, is an advantage when there is a huge range of disabilities. There is a program offered for almost everyone. People who benefit from these games range from the athletes themselves, the officials, coaches, caregivers, parents, to the spectators and on-site first aid staff. Mrs. Kennedy-Shriver said this in regard to special athletes, "through sports, they can realize their potential for growth." Over and over this fantastic organization has demonstrated integrity, good sportsmanship, and goal oriented programs that work!
Everyone has milestone days in his/her life that change the direction of his/her life for better or worse. Let me tell you one of my experiences that I will never forget from when I was 12 years old.
Many years ago when I was a freshman in high school, an event happened to me that changed my life for the better. My friend invited me to go hiking with him and his sister. He was going to go hiking in Yosemite. The following day I prepared myself mentally and physically in order to accomplish this hike.
Throughout life I have had many memorable events. The memorable times in my life vary from being the worst times in my life and some being the best, either way they have become milestones that will be remembered forever. The best day of my life was definitely the day that I received my drivers’ license. This day is one of the most memorable because of the feelings I had when I received it, the opportunities that were opened up for me and the long lasting benefits that I received from it that still exist today.
I also had the privilege of helping with the Meals on Wheels non profit organization. My grandfather used to be a Meals on Wheels recipient and he would share with me how he enjoyed looking forward to their company and a hot meal daily. I volunteered because I wanted to give back and help someone else’s loved one in the same way. It was very rewarding delivering hot meals to people who didn’t have the means of getting one as well as being there for them to talk to. Overall, it was a very humbling experience, it made me realize just how blessed I am and how much I take for granted daily.