Each year, over half a thousand students join from schools all over Alabama like Vestavia Hills, Hoover, and Mountain Brook to participate in the 18th Annual Trussville Special Olympics. The Special Olympics is a huge global organization with a goal of changing lives by promoting understanding and inclusion for those with and without intellectual disabilities.
This year the competition took place at Hewitt-Trussville’s football stadium on September 26th. Participants ranged from elementary through high school, and each athlete had the opportunity to compete in two Track and Field events. Some of the events included this year were the 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 meter runs, wheelchair and race walks as well as 4x100 meter relays for the track portion. The events included on the field were throws, such as Shot Put and Discus, standing and running long jumps, and javelin.
This annual tradition is put together as a way to showcase student’s friendships and sportsmanship on and off the field. For lunch, the sponsors catered Chick-Fil-A which some of the athletes said was their favorite part of the day.
Every year before the event, Vestavia Hills High School holds a special parade when usually the band, cheerleaders, majorettes, dance team, and color guard come to celebrate the students as they walk out through the school. Following the Walk of Champions which takes place at 9:15 am, an opening ceremony starts at 10 am, and competitive events usually kick off at around 10:30 am.
In the weeks leading up to this event, Rebel Up Outreach, a club at VHHS raising acceptance and awareness for individuals with disabilities, spends time getting to know the athletes they will be cheering on, as well as making special posters for their friends that they will use when supporting and cheering on the participants.
Carrie Jones, the Exceptional Education Teacher at Hewitt-Trussville High School, said to the Over the Mountain Journal that “Beautiful weather and amazing people made a wonderful day for all. Beauty, inclusion, and love were on display in a beautiful way for all to see.” The 10 volunteers from the Rebel Up Outreach club selected went absolutely above and beyond to make this an eye-opening and memorable experience for all involved. Every year, this tradition proves time and time again to be a great way for student athletes to showcase their talents and abilities for everyone to admire.
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