THE DOVER CHRONICLE VOL 2
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Ines Lui Siciliani de Oliveira<br />
<strong>THE</strong> <strong>DOVER</strong> <strong>CHRONICLE</strong> - OCTOBER 2023 <strong>VOL</strong>. 2<br />
Could you describe what it was like being<br />
an athlete with Special Olympics<br />
Singapore when you first started out?<br />
Hanako joined Special Olympics Singapore<br />
while she attended Dover Court. The<br />
mother of another student asked her to join<br />
the SOS swimming programme, and<br />
through this programme she saw many<br />
other people with intellectual disabilities<br />
swimming. Although she was initially<br />
slightly surprised upon joining, she<br />
eventually got used to it.<br />
What kind of work do you do with Special<br />
Olympics Singapore nowadays?<br />
Today, Hanako is an administrative<br />
coordinator and part of the initiative team.<br />
She works with youth leaders, athlete<br />
leaders, and is also a Global Messenger for<br />
Special Olympics.<br />
What do you feel is the most rewarding or<br />
impactful part of your role?<br />
Hanako feels that the most rewarding part<br />
of her role at Special Olympics Singapore<br />
is being able to support council members.<br />
She has also been an inspirational example<br />
of how people with intellectual disabilities<br />
can integrate when given equal<br />
opportunities – such as when Hanako<br />
represented Singapore in Bowling during<br />
the Summer Games.<br />
Is there anything you would like to tell<br />
Dover Court Students about yourself or<br />
Special Olympics Singapore?<br />
To close out the interview, Hanako told me<br />
about her message for the students at<br />
Dover Court. She implores students to take<br />
action. It is now our turn. She also gave<br />
some suggestions for ways that the student<br />
body could integrate this within the school,<br />
emphasising the importance of holding<br />
events with people with intellectual<br />
disabilities. It is imperative that the<br />
community bands together and includes<br />
everyone.<br />
A few of Hanako’s suggestions for ways<br />
that we could implement this are:<br />
-A fun fare<br />
-Baking/other group activities<br />
-Playing sports together (unified sports)<br />
If there is a key message to take away from<br />
both Hanako’s experiences and message, as<br />
well as our own school values, it is to take<br />
action. Dover Court is an inclusive<br />
community – this is at the heart of the<br />
school, and it is our job to embody that in<br />
our own actions. Get involved with<br />
students from all three pathways, form<br />
friendships or even just say ‘hi’ to someone<br />
you might not know around the campus.<br />
Think of ways to spur inclusion and<br />
integration in our community. How can we<br />
involve everyone? Because, as made<br />
evident by the work done by Special<br />
Olympics, if given equal opportunities,<br />
anyone and everyone can achieve great<br />
things.
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