Helena recently hosted the Special Olympics State Basketball tournament and Carroll’s Special Olympics Club, led by club president Maddie Visser, was heavily involved. Two of the club’s executive board members are part of the Games Management Team, which planned the entire tournament. The club also coordinated volunteers from various Carroll clubs and sports teams who participated as team escorts at the opening ceremonies, facilitated games at the dance and carnival, and made lunches for the teams before each day of competition.
This was all in addition to several of the club members acting as both unified partners and coaches for three different unified teams and an athlete participating in individual skills events. Their unified teams came away with gold, silver, and bronze medals, and the individual skills athlete earned silver!
At the opening ceremonies, Carroll College was awarded the Outstanding Unified Champion School of the Year award for the second time, highlighting their commitment to inclusion, community outreach, and characteristics of being unified. One of their Executive Board members, who is an Athlete Representative, delivered the motivational speech during the ceremony, while another Athlete Representative from the club and team was awarded Athlete of the Year. A Unified Partner from the Carroll club led the entire assembly in the Athlete Oath. Lastly, an additional Athlete Representative of their Executive Board was a leader for Healthy Athletes and led the macarena from the front.
Throughout the week, Carroll’s Special Olympics club coordinated with the national film team, providing interviews, film opportunities and more highlighting what it takes to be a Unified Champion School and in turn, how they worked to make this event a success.
At Carroll, we are incredibly proud of the efforts of our Special Olympics Club to foster inclusion, community involvement and inspire love and compassion through their outreach and championing unified sports and inclusive youth leadership