February 20, 2015

Unified Sports: From Peers to

Best Friends
By Allie Gould
Unified Sports is a program that brings together
those with and without intellectual disabilities on a
sports team to not only compete, but to make
everlasting friendships. That is how we met! Our
names are Allie Gould and Jessie Oliveira and we
live in North Smithfield, Rhode Island.
We attend school together, but are in different
grades so we never had any classes together and
were part of
different friend
groups. Then one
day, about three
years ago we
headed onto the
court for Unified
basketball
practice. We did
some warm-up
drills and in no
time the entire
team began to
bond and laugh
with each other.
We did not
become the close friends we are now until the
following Unified volleyball season. We always
joke with each other and encourage one another
on the court. We soon began hanging out outside
of sports when we discovered that we live only a
few houses from each other. This began the
journey of our friendship!
Our first opportunity to travel together was to New
Jersey for the Youth Summit that took place at the
USA games. This experience was life changing
for the both of us. We were able to meet a slew of
new people that had millions of great ideas for us.
During a science-fair type experience that allowed
each state delegation to share their plans for over
the course of the year, we had the opportunity to
talk with Senior Director of Project UNIFY, Andrea

Cahn. She offered us the opportunity of a life

time! During the closing ceremonies of the USA
Games, we got to go on stage in our Were so
Unified shirts and talk to a crowd of thousands of
people from all over the country about Project
UNIFY and Unified Sports. We felt like celebrities!
We got to take the private back entrance and
there was a woman there to do our hair and
makeup! (Jessie loved the pampering).
This wonderful experience gave us the chance to
apply for the National Youth Activation Committee
(National YAC), which little did we know would be
so life changing. After being accepted onto the
committee, in November of 2014 we traveled to
Washington DC to meet the National YAC for the
first time! We had met them briefly in at the USA
games, but we never knew the friendships we
would build with the committee itself and the subcommittees. We love being part of such a great
group!
We both have agreed on the fact that Special
Olympics has changed both of our lives for the
better. Weve learned life lessons and we are
positive that we will take all of our experiences
through our lives to overcome challenges and to
produce more ideas that will help make the world
a more unified place to live. We are Unified
Players. We are Youth Representatives. We are
best friends. We will change the world

R-Word Day is March 4th, Save

The Date!
On Wednesday March 4th, 2015, high schools
across the state will be participating in the Spread

The Word To End The Word Campaign by holding

R-Word Days to spread awareness of the
derogatory use of the R-word and its harmful
effects.
La Salle Academy, for example, applied and
received a grant to receive money to buy tee
shirts with the Spread the Word logo on them for
students who sign a banner to stand against
using the word retarded as an insult towards
things or peers, while supplies last. Plus, in order
to receive a tee shirt, students must show proof of
following the Special Olympics Project Unify on
either Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Last year,
the social media outlets gained over 300 new
followers that would then hear about future events
throughout the year when R Word Day passes.
Do you want to hold an R-Word Day at your
own school? R-Word banners will be available
for all schools to participate in this event. Even if
you cant arrange the event in time for March 4th,
any day throughout March is an equally perfect
opportunity to share our message with the entire
school!

Barrington High School Senior

Corey Daugherty Holds A
Unified Basketball Game:
Hendricken vs. Barrington
It all started with a vision. Corey Daugherty, a
senior at his local high school dreamed of holding
a unified basketball game unlike any other at
Brown University, his future school this coming
fall. All Daugherty needed was an idea and
commitment to it which led him to change the
approach Special Olympics partners take to
create unified events. Rather than hold a separate
day for a unified game, why not hold it during a
Division 1 regular season basketball game
throughout halftime? Many would say it was a
preposterous idea, but Daugherty made that
dream meet reality. Daugherty made the system
work for him, not the other way around, which led
to his success.

PROJECT UNIFY PLUNGE

*NEW DATE*
Where: Goddard Memorial State Park, Warwick
When: Saturday, March 21, 2015
Check In: Middle Schools - 9:30 Plunge @
10:00 am
High Schools - 12:30 Plunge @ 1:00 pm
After party takes place in the Carousel after
each Plunge.
$50 MINIMUM DONATION TO PLUNGE
Register on Firstgiving:
Firstgiving is a great way to earn your minimum
donation. Easily and safely create your own
fundraising webpage at: https://
www.firstgiving.com/soripu
You can keep track of offline cash/check
donations here, also. PLUNGER PERKS:
Awesome prizes
Access to the after party Hot Chocolate/
heated tents Guaranteed good time
DON'T BE LEFT ON THE BEACH!!!!
All non plungers can join the after party for $15
COME DRESSED TO IMPRESS:
Best Individual Costume Most School Spirited

Daughertys story is an inspiration to all Special

Olympics volunteers and partners. With an idea in

mind, Daugherty proves that anything can be

done with a passion for a great cause.
In fact, Daughertys method wasn't very difficult.
In the words of Corey himself, I simply raised the
idea to my coach (Sullivan) and the BHS Athletic
Director and then reached out to Special
Olympics with the concept. With their approval, I
suggested it to Hendricken's Coach Gomes who
was also very supportive. All it takes is a few
conversations and dedication to make such an
event successful.
It did not matter what the result of the game was.
Win or loss for Barrington, Daugherty won, says
Providence Journal writer Bill Reynolds. Any time
two schools can come together during a big game
to recognize the purpose of Project Unify, there is
no such thing as losing.

Middle School Forum:

Saturday March 7th, 2015
The second annual Middle School forum
will be taking place on Saturday March 7th
at Gallagher Middle School in Smithfield,
RI. Join us from 10:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. to
participate and help make the forum as
much of a success as it was last year.
To register for the Forum, please contact
Samantha at Samantha@specialolympisri.org
by March 2nd.

Have a story to share about

what you and your youth
activation committee are doing?
Send an email with media of or about
your own events at your school,
including R-Word days and
experiences at events to
jbuben16@lasalle-academy.org to be
featured in the March edition!

Follow us on Instagram,
Twitter and Facebook!

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icsrhodeisland

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SORIProjectUnify
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