2019 Annual Report

A WORD
FROM OUR
CEO
Today, Special Olympics Indiana has the largest UNIFIED
CHAMPION SCHOOLS program anywhere in the world. Last
school year, 656 Indiana schools, grades K through 12, used our
programming. This includes INCLUSIVE STUDENT LEADERSHIP,
where students of all intellectual abilities lead, and the adults
follow. It includes UNIFIED SPORTS, where students with
and without intellectual disabilities play on the same team. It
includes WHOLE SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, when all students hear
the message of anti-bullying, disability awareness, inclusion, and
empowerment.
In 1969, Special Olympics Indiana was created as a
sports organization FOR people with intellectual
disabilities. Now, we are a sports, health, education,
advocacy, and leadership organization FROM people
with intellectual disabilities. We have grown from
1,000 athletes that first year . . . to over 18,000 served
annually today.
While our programs have grown in numbers and scope,
the biggest, most profound difference between then
and now – between 1969 and 2019 – is that we are no
longer providing services for people with intellectual
disabilities. Instead, we are taking our cues from our
athletes themselves.
By changing a simple preposition – “FOR” to “FROM”
– it provides this important reminder to me: I may be
the president & CEO of this great organization. But it’s
not mine. It’s our athletes’ organization. I’m just the
temporary caretaker.
Through our SPORTS programs, our coaches help our
athletes improve ON the playing field. Through our
ATHLETE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, Special Olympics
Indiana empowers our athletes to better themselves
OFF the playing field.
But empowerment doesn’t come easily. Our older
athletes experienced years of schooling in separate
facilities.
For athletes about my age, years of schooling in
classrooms in the far corners of the building. Walking
the hallways with their heads down. Derogatory names
like the R-word following them like their shadow.
How can anyone feel empowered with such a label?
Today’s youth in special education . . . perhaps they
are in the same classroom as their peers. Eating lunch
during the same period and at the same table. But
proximity doesn’t mean INCLUSION. One can still feel
alone even when others are around.
Today, Special Olympics is much more than sports. And
we are more than sports because our athletes need us
to be more.
Our athlete leaders experienced bullying in school. As
a result, they demanded that the next generation of
special education students not experience the same
fear they did.
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This message has reached more than 260,000 students in our
state.
By 2022, we want to have programming in over 1,000 schools,
benefitting all students, not just those in special education.
And this all started because our adult athlete leaders want a
world in which no student eats lunch alone. A simple vision of a
world that does not exist yet. But HOPE that it soon will become
reality.
Last year, I spoke to our athlete leaders at a bi-annual session
of what we call ATHLETE LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY. Hosted by
Butler University, this is a weekend where our athlete leaders are
encouraged to explore their passions and abilities off the playing
field. They receive training in a variety of areas including public
speaking, governance, technology, coaching, and health advocacy.
During my speech, I challenged the group. I said that if we, as an
organization, really believe in athlete leadership . . . if we really
believe in empowering our athletes by working with them to set
challenging, yet achievable goals . . . if we believe in the value of
training them and helping them find opportunities to experience
success . . . then we must believe that there’s nothing in this
organization that an athlete leader cannot do.
They CAN coach fellow athletes. They CAN give public speeches.
They CAN meet with community and government leaders to
advocate for support on health issues as it relates to intellectual
disabilities. The CAN serve on the board of directors.
Now, this one has gotten me into trouble – I said, “They CAN even
replace me when it’s my time to go.”
OUR VISION
Sport will open hearts and minds towards people with intellectual
disabilities and create inclusive communities across the state.
Special Olympics Indiana 4
Why am I in trouble? Because that day, four athlete leaders set a
personal goal to replace me someday.
Can you imagine a person with an intellectual disability
LEADING our great organization?
I CAN.