The Importance Of Volunteering At Special Olympics

898 Words2 Pages

For my community agency hours I chose to volunteer with the Special Olympics. I chose this agency because my high school always hosted Special Olympics and I enjoyed volunteering every year as a buddy. Going into their experience I did not know what to expect since it was on the weekend and not at my high school as I was used to. The event took place on April 30th at Westminster Christian Academy. It was a long day, but definitely worth it. I was paired with a 45 year old male named Kevin who I suspect had Down Syndrome. This experience was different from all my other volunteering with Special Olympics in the matter that my buddy was not a child, but a grown adult. I found that having an adult had both its challenges and advantages. I found …show more content…

First, it reminds me to not take my life for granted. While day to day life may seem stressful or like life 's not fair, it reminds me that I could be blind or not have the privilege to be able to take care of myself independently. It also left me with the thought of smile. Just smiling at someone makes them feel better about who they are. I would smile at the athletes and the smile they gave me back was so much bigger and brighter. A smile can change someone’s dark day into their best day of their life. It also leaves me with the word of encourage. As a future educator I will have students who have special needs that are afraid to interact with their classmates due to fear of being made fun of. I hope to create an atmosphere where all students feel equal and see beyond one’s special needs. I want to make every student feel confident in themselves and know they are capable of whatever they dream. I want to have my students without special needs have relationships with special needs students to create a bond and make the environment one where everyone is accepted for who they are and who are proud of who they

Show More
Related

  • Riding The Bus With My Sister Analysis

    577 Words  | 2 Pages

    The experience changed her life, she learned to rethink her own attitude and self determination. I learned that people with mental retardation are not to be separated from society or even treated with less respect because of their disability. “Riding the Bus with My Sister” taught me to never neglect people with mental disabilities. Readers learned that people with mental retardation, just like everyone else, have families, desires, and determination. They cry, they laugh, they have emotions just like the rest of us. We can learn new things from those suffering from mental retardation. ‘Riding the Bus with My Sister” taught me that civil rights apply to

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Stand Out By Lisa I. Iezzonis

    1044 Words  | 3 Pages

    “I felt I could do good for other persons with disabilities precisely because I had authority from that medical degree.” This line makes the reader stop for a moment and really evaluate what has been said, due to the contrary effect that was intimated from the beginning. The switch from negativity to positivity demonstrates the change from the author’s feeling has changed and how society has changed.This revelation brings us to the end, how she said she hopes the next generation will see things differently, “Disability right thus aren’t something we seek only for others. We must also seem them for the ones we love and for ourselves.” The author stating this at the very end reflects people who have the disability need to help themselves and have disability right, not just looking for help from others.

    Read More

  • Movie Reflection Paper

    872 Words  | 2 Pages

    Another powerful video, Including Samuel, ignited my insight in this week’s class. As I heard in the video, “inclusion is an easy thing to do poorly.” The movie chronicles the life of a young boy, Samuel, and his family. With the shock of learning about their son’s disability, it caused his parents, Dan and Betsy, to experience the unexpected. Nevertheless, they did everything to include their son and help him live a normal life focused on his capabilities, rather than his incapabilities. I even admired how his friends knew so much about him, his likes and dislikes, his strengths and his weaknesses.

    Read More

  • My Observation Of The ELL Classroom

    1179 Words  | 3 Pages

    This Semester I observed a three-year-old girl named Allie. Allie attends preschool at Land of Learning; she is diagnosed with cerebral palsy. It was my pleasure observing her and getting to know her. She is a very sweet outgoing girl that doesn’t let her disability get to her. I observed and assisted Allie throughout her days at preschool. I assisted her and observed her with recess activities, eating lunch, and daily school projects. My past observation experiences I observed at Westgate elementary school in a class room mixed with students with learning disabilities, ADHD and also ELL students the class was taught by Ms. Lewis. I observed a second grade ELL classroom and also a fourth grade classroom. I observed these students during school

    Read More

  • How To Write A Persuasive Speech Outline On Intellectual Disabilities

    452 Words  | 1 Pages

    By know the other people disabilities you will interact better and will help the disable student better transition to blend in the community. Not be afraid of the unknown. As much knowledge you have on the different types of disabilities, the better person you become and more effective

    Read More

  • Down Syndrome

    1087 Words  | 3 Pages

    Have you ever been in a situation where you were confronted by a child who has Down Syndrome and were unsure of how to act around that child? I'm sure many of us have experienced the awkwardness that accompanies such a situation. Many people feel guilt or pity for these children, I believe these reactions result from a lack of knowledge about the condition. Which is why I have chosen this topic.

    Read More

  • Sanctuary Of School Lynda Barry Analysis

    531 Words  | 2 Pages

    It gives people the insight on what she had to go through as a kid and that there are many more like her. Prior to reading this I was not aware of what a school could actually do for children. To me school was always just a place that I had to be. I did not dislike going to school it just seemed like it was something that was a given in this world and everyone felt as I did. Lynda made me feel differently about all of that. She opened my eyes to, when you get down to it, what school really does for kids. School provides a place or kids to feel safe and wanted which is essential for everyone. This narrative about a personal experience helped me to realize how school also relates to my life the same way it relates to the authors. I can remember times in my life where I have left home for school aggravated with what was going on between me and my parents. When I arrived at school all my worries about the world seemed to drift away, just like in Sanctuary of School. Like Lynda I had not realized what actually made me feel so much better after arriving at school until later. Her story led me to think back on my personal experiences and apply the knowledge she was telling through her story to my

    Read More

  • Essay On Special Education Inclusion

    1204 Words  | 3 Pages

    In modern times, special education refers to individualized instruction provided by school districts that fit the needs of a student’s exceptionality (Turnbull, Turnbull, Wehmeyer & Shogren, 2013). Special education is a rewarding field that encompasses the success of all learners with exceptionalities. Consequently, professionals in this discipline have to exhibit characteristics such as patience, ardor, and empathy. These individuals also have to be “self-aware culturally,” and by meeting that idea, they have to “become aware of [their] stereotypes, biases, and prejudices” (Turnbull et al., 2013, p. 74).

    Read More

  • Volunteering Is Important in the Public Services

    1999 Words  | 4 Pages

    volunteering is a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task. In this report i will talk about the different types of volunteering in the:

    Read More

  • Students with Disabilities

    2488 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...hat keep students with disabilities from becoming academically and socially engaged. This is done by increasing the interactions that students with disabilities have with faculty, staff members, and other students. These interactions will work to break down the stigmatization that comes with having a disability by educating individuals on what students with disabilities have experienced at the institution.

    Read More

  • Observation of a Special Education (Special Ed) Program

    1089 Words  | 3 Pages

    I realize that I didn't get the real in-depth experience that was envisioned for this assignment but I did find what I saw really interesting. I know that just four short years ago they didn't have the buddy program at that school. And they still have nothing at my old Catholic high school. After learning more about the benefits of inclusion during the semester, it was encouraging to see that those benefits were being experienced by students from my hometown, if not my alma-mater. I wonder how my knowledge and perceptions of the handicapped would be different if there had been programs like that when I was in high school. At least I can rest assure that future students at SHS will not go through school as ignorant about handicapped students as I did.

    Read More

  • The Special Olympics

    2697 Words  | 6 Pages

    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!

    Read More

  • Personal Narrative: My Disability

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    In middle school I was diagnosed with a disability with the way I expressed myself through writing. Ever since, I have gained multiple values and learned several lessons about self confidence. I was taught to push past my limits, in order to be successful in reaching my goals along with my dreams. Today I am a senior in high school who was once thought to struggle, but was able to succeed beyond expectations. To some, a disability may seem like a setback from achieving goals, but to me I used it as a challenge for myself. I accepted myself for who I was and looked at my disability as a unique trait of mine. I was able to provide a message to others that anything you set your mind to is possible with dedication and hard work. It might take

    Read More

  • The Benefits of Volunteering

    1533 Words  | 4 Pages

    A common misconception about volunteering is that it only helps the cause. Often times that aspect is the only part that is highlighted when the topic of donating time comes up. There is a different side of volunteering though. Many volunteers donate their time to help better the community they live in and the people that live in it. When they choose to do this they not only help others but they are also helping better themselves. Volunteering benefits a person by building connections with peers, improving family life, expanding career skills, overcoming self doubt, having lasting life impressions, and creating new opportunities.

    Read More

  • My Beliefs About Teaching and Learning

    611 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story envokes the realization that anyone can be mentally liberated if they simply only open their eyes and behold the value of individuality. It is up to each of us to explore this meaning. Through compassion we can unlock the true purpose and meaning of ourselves and others. We need to be open to and understanding of people who are different. Therefore, students who are mentally challenged need to be surrounded by those who dare to add value to their lives. We definitely need more people like the coach.

    Read More

More about The Importance Of Volunteering At Special Olympics

Open Document