The 2006 Special Olympics was more than a competition among athletes, it was a show of the true meaning of friendship among students of all abilities.

Over 200 high school students came out to support and cheer for the more than 170 athletes who competed in the games held at the stadium of Whitewater High. The Olympians took home 367 ribbons from six different events.

The entire student body of Whitewater came out to support and cheer for the athletes during the game’s Opening Ceremonies. Deputy Superintendent Fred Oliver and Master Athlete Buddy Croft served as the grand marshals of the parade.

During the games, 190 Whitewater students served as volunteers. Students from the county’s other high schools also volunteered to assist their athletes. Starr’s Mill High had 30 students from its PALS Club working with the Olympians.

“All of our high school buddies and the Starr’s Mill athletes are all members of PALS, so our buddies already know their athletes and a great bond already existed,” says Cindy Hartpence, exceptional children’s teacher at Starr’s Mill.

Hartpence and Shannon Gaglianno, a speech teacher, started the PALS Club last year in an effort to engage social interaction between special needs students and regular education students.

“We saw that many students weren’t getting involved in activities outside of school and that many of them were eating lunch alone or just looked like they were lost or left out,” explains Hartpence.

The two teachers turned to Nick Harris, Fayette’s parent mentor, for help. He introduced them to the PALS concept that was being used in several other states but not in Georgia.

“Our goals are for the typical student body here is to make friends with others who they may have not have had any thought of doing so prior to PALS,” says Hartpence.

The club has 125 members. It meets once a month and has at least four activities each month that its members can attend together such as a sports event or a drama, band or chorus production. Some students even get together on the weekends and go for a game of putt putt and many attend the Challenger League Baseball games to support members who are on the team.

“I have seen our students grow very protective of the special needs students here since we started the club. I hope that will continue as they go outside of Starr’s Mill,” says Hartpence.

The PALS club provided volunteer coaches this year for the participating Olympic athletes from both Starr’s Mill and Rising Starr Middle to help them prepare for the games.

Another PALS club has been formed at Sandy Creek High. Hartpence, who assisted with the effort, reports that the new club is “doing great.”

login to post comments