The Special Olympics is a “global movement of people creating a new world of inclusion and community, where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability,” according to specialolympics.org.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics, saw that people with intellectual disabilities were treated unjustly. Shriver grew up with a sister named Rosemary, who was intellectually disabled, which caused Shriver to notice the limited programs and options for her sister to participate in sports.
As Shriver later went on to college as an athlete, she believed that “if people with intellectual disabilities were given the same opportunities and experiences as everyone else, they could accomplish far more than anyone thought possible,” in accordance with specialolympics.org.
She put this idea into action when she opened up Camp Shriver in 1962, a summer day camp hosted in her backyard for intellectually disabled people. Later, in July 1968, the first international Special Olympics was held in Chicago, Illinois.
Since then, many schools nationwide have participated in the cause by hosting their own Special Olympic events, one of which is located in the local area. Newsome High School and Bloomingdale High School will co-host the IncrediBULLS Special Olympics this year. This will be the third year the two high schools co-host the event.
“The partnership between the two schools increases community involvement, but more importantly it gives opportunities to students at Newsome to become buddies with our special athletes,” says Donna Hart, Newsome ESE teacher in an interview with the Osprey Observer.
This will be the eighth year in a row that the IncrediBULLS event is happening, and will take place on Feb 23 at Bloomingdale High School. The IncrediBULLS was given its name from Bloomingdale High School to show how incredible their students are, but it was also a play on their mascot, the BULL.
Around 400 student-athletes and 800 students are expected to come together to make this event possible. Hart says, “The incrediBULL Games are a Special Olympic field day event for the students with disabilities from across the district.” While Newsome and Bloomingdale High Schools will be hosting the event, several high schools across the county will join IncrediBULLS.
Ava Fuentes, a senior at Newsome High School and President of “Helping Hearts,” says, “Last year was my first year participating in IncrediBULLS, and I loved being able to interact with students from other schools.”
“Helping Hearts” will be participating in the Olympic Village with friendship bracelet making. “There were a lot of fun booths set up, and the students that attended looked like they were having an awesome time,” says Fuentes.
Each student-athlete gets the chance to visit the Olympic Village, which has more than 30 booths that are designed and run by student clubs. “All of the students participating have the opportunity to not only have fun, but to meet new friends and show off their athletic abilities,” said Hart.
The buddies and volunteers can engage with each other with the hopes of creating lasting friendships through IncrediBULLS. “All of our students have said more than once that this is their favorite day of the year,” says Hart.