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Be a fan of acceptance, dignity, and the human race.

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Purpose of Project UNIFYThrough Special Olympics, using sports as catalyst, activate youth across the country …• Promote school communities of acceptance and

inclusion where all young people are agents of change …

• Foster respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities

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Be a fan of acceptance, dignity, and the human race.

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What Is Project UNFIY?

www.projectunifyoregon.org

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Be a fan of acceptance, dignity, and the human race.

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Why Project UNIFY?

Strong and irrefutable evidence for Special Olympics sports and related programs …

• Providing platforms for youth to understand and value their peers with intellectual disabilities, and

• Empowering and activating youth to create opportunities for and with them in sport, friendship and advocacy.

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Be a fan of acceptance, dignity, and the human race.

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Scope of Project UNIFY

• Youth Leadership

• School-Community Collaborations

• Continuous Improvement

• Communications

• Professional Development

• Unifying Programming (Unified Sports® in combination with other youth programming)

• Creating and Sustaining Relationships

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Continuum of Engagement

Among youth, to become a leading cause, not just a service or activity:

• Educate– Provide a climate of understanding of social justice

• Motivate– Increase recruitment, engagement, and interest

• Activate– Offer opportunities for action, as partners or in other

leadership roles, & future leaders of Special Olympics

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Be a fan of acceptance, dignity, and the human race.

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Menu of OpportunitiesSports at the core / School as the unit of engagement

SchoolsTraditional Sports

• Games/Tournaments• Coaching• Volunteers• Fans in the Stands

Communications & Engagement• Be a Fan – “R Word”• Website• Sports Experience

Inclusive Sports• Unified Sports®• Camp Shriver

Inclusive Schools• SOGII – Essay Contests• Booster Clubs• School Enrichment• Global Youth Congress• Youth Summits

Early Childhood Enrichment• Young Athletes

Athlete Leadership & Self-Advocacy

Youth Leadership

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Unified Sports®• Students with and w/out disability on same

team

• Creating inclusive school climates

Sutherlin High School

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Be a fan of acceptance, dignity, and the human race.

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Soeren Palumbo

– Activist for individuals with intellectual disabilities

– Inspired millions with his high school speech

– Check it out on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoqaNG0Ozqc

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R-Word CampaignEducating society about the dehumanizing and

hurtful effects of the R-word

Bend High School’s R-Word Rally

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The Pledge

I pledge and support the

elimination of the derogatory

use of the R-Word from

everyday speech and

promote the acceptance and

inclusion of people with

intellectual disabilities.

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Be a fan of acceptance, dignity, and the human race.

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Pledge and Plunge

– Educate others about the

R-Word AND raise money

and awareness for Special Olympics Oregon athletes

– Compete with other high

schools across Oregon to

raise the most $$$

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Be a fan of acceptance, dignity, and the human race.

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Forest Grove High School

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Show & Tell Other Students’ Projects

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October 2, 2010 @ Nike

Youth Activation SummitYouth GamesUnified Sports

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Show and Tell

http://community.specialolympics.org/_3-word-Video-on-Special-Olympics/

video/527699/82244.html

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Questions?