From Summer Games to Fall Festival
Two 草榴社区 Students Return from Special Olympics World Summer Games with Fresh Ideas for 35th Annual Festival
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The gravity of the moment was not lost on Moira Horan 鈥�24 CLAS and Kate Delaney 鈥�24 VSB.
Squeezed into the packed Olympiastadion in Berlin, the two 草榴社区 students watched as German tennis player Sophie Rensmann lit the torch to signify the beginning of the 16th Special Olympics World Summer Games. It was the first time the Olympic torch shone in the stadium since 1936 鈥� the year Jesse Owens took home four gold medals while exuding tremendous bravery in the face of overwhelming adversity.
For Horan, who serves as 草榴社区鈥檚 2023 Special Olympics Fall Festival director, and Delaney, the director of competition, it was a fitting start to an event that highlights diversity, inclusion and the incredible bravery of the world鈥檚 Special Olympics athletes.
The two of them were not there for work or credit. They were not required to be in Berlin in late June for any reason. They went on their own.
鈥淜ate and I wanted to take the opportunity to go experience the World Games and to learn,鈥� Horan said. 鈥淲e wanted to bring back ideas we saw and implement them into our own Fall Fest competition here at 草榴社区.鈥�
So, to Germany they went, meticulously planning their time so they could soak in as much as possible. For most of the day, they attended as many competitions as they were able, paying close attention to logistics, presentation and understanding the games from a fan perspective. That perspective is an incredibly important component of events like this, and one they do not usually get to experience at 草榴社区. During the athletic competitions, they were able to see first-hand commodities like the accessibility features of the venues, such as quiet rooms for noise sensitivity, sensory backpacks, service animals, wheelchair loans and speech-to-text interpreting.
Between competitions, they chatted with as many individuals they could. They met with representatives from Special Olympics Pennsylvania, such as Senior Advisor of Development and Marketing Mike Bovino, to discuss operations, and Unified Champion Schools Director Lauren Saulter about external optics such as venue presentation. They picked up on new processes and ideas for Fall Festival 鈥� which is run jointly with Special Olympics Pennsylvania 鈥� with each conversation.
鈥淥ne thing we talked [with Lauren] about was how all the little details matter 鈥� the things you don鈥檛 think about on a day-to-day basis as you鈥檙e walking around the venues, but that make such a big difference in the look and the feel,鈥� Delaney said. 鈥淸For example], there is no visible tape showing, no handwritten signs鈥� It鈥檚 impressive how much goes into the backend logistics.鈥�
Using their existing relationships as a springboard, they also were able to speak with Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver, and Editra Allen, senior director of games operations and global events, sport and competition at Special Olympics International, who keyed them in on the communication and collaboration it takes to successfully host such a large-scale competition.
鈥淸Learning] how to make communication clear really stuck out to us,鈥� Horan said. 鈥淲ith all the different individuals involved in an event like this, you want to keep in mind, of course, the athlete experience, but also the family experience, the volunteer experience and the fan experience.
鈥淲hile keeping the big picture in mind, you have to pay attention to how each venue or each aspect of the competition and event will impact each person,鈥� Delaney added.
Their interactions with the Special Olympics representatives also included discussions and information sessions on various programs, such as the Young Athletes program for children with intellectual disabilities, with which they are involved locally, and Sargent Shriver International Global Messengers. Healthy Athletes, which offers health services to participants from around the world, was another initiative that piqued their interest.
鈥淔or some athletes, that is not something they get to experience all the time,鈥� Delaney said. 鈥淪ome have never had [routine medical] check-ups in their life. We found that to be very moving.鈥�
But the highlight of the trip for both was the athlete interaction. Both Horan and Delaney were concerned they would not get the chance to meet any of the athletes, but through their contacts at the World Games made possible by Special Olympics Pennsylvania, the opportunities were plentiful. By day two, had met the entire women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 U.S. tennis teams.
Among them, Horan and Delaney spent quite a bit of time with Pennsylvania鈥檚 Loretta Claiborne, who has been competing in the Special Olympics for more than 50 years, is chief inspiration officer and vice chair of Special Olympics International鈥檚 Board of Directors and holds an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from 草榴社区. In fact, Claiborne herself has attended 草榴社区鈥檚 Fall Festival several times.听
鈥淎s soon as we met her and she heard we came from 草榴社区, we saw the excitement on her face,鈥� Delaney said. 鈥淟earning about her experience at 草榴社区 was impactful for me and hearing how well she spoke about our University community and how inclusive we are is something I keep reflecting on.鈥�
鈥淪he鈥檚 an absolute legend,鈥� Horan said. 鈥淏eing able to talk with [Loretta] was such an incredible moment.鈥�
They also spent time with the family and coach of Izaak Hobday, the other Pennsylvania athlete representing Team USA. While Hobday was busy earning a gold and silver medal in the 1,500 and 5,000-meter runs, respectively, Horan and Delaney gained valuable insight on the athlete experience, with a close-to-home tie in.
鈥淲e see a lot of athletes and go to practices that are held in Montgomery and Delaware counties, but we don鈥檛 often get to hear perspectives of people in other counties,鈥� Delaney said. 鈥淏eing able to have that coach perspective and athlete interaction is something we were super grateful for鈥� We don鈥檛 hear that every day.鈥�
It began with an emotional opening ceremony and ended with a sense of invigoration, empowerment and pride for both 草榴社区ns.
鈥淭he whole event showed how much their mission of inclusion and togetherness 鈥� virtues we all strive to embody at 草榴社区 鈥� was just as important as the medals won,鈥� Horan said. 鈥淲hile the athletes were very successful, the progress they made toward a more inclusive world was very meaningful to us.
鈥淚 am really excited to implement what we learned,鈥� Delaney added. 鈥淲e are so grateful to be part of the [Special Olympics] community.鈥�