To our youth leaders, Project UNIFY Program staff and friends–
Please read the latest version of Special Olympics Project UNIFY Fan Mail. Enjoy!
The Project UNIFY Team
This monthly newsletter is designed to provide the Special Olympics Project UNIFY community with timely, useful information about new and ongoing programs, opportunities, best practices and news from around the country. If you have material you would like us to include in "Fan Mail," please e-mail Joanne Maldonado at
Project UNIFY Resources
To access the latest Project UNIFY artwork, sub-award reference documents and communications material, please visit our NEW resource page on SOI’s website.
2010 Youth & Education Events
Thank you to those Programs that met the deadline for registration for the upcoming Youth Activation Summit and National Education Conference. In the coming week, we will distribute new information on logistics, such as travel and housing procedures, and additional information to prepare your attendees for this exciting week.
Are you teacher or know a teacher that would be interested in attending the 2010 Special Olympics National Education Conference? This 4-day conference in Omaha, Nebraska is the first education conference that Special Olympics has held. Registration ends May 15. Don’t let this opportunity slip away!
Project UNIFY News
New Partnership - Special Olympics Project UNIFY® and TEEN TRUTH™ are joining forces to build awareness around the hurtful nature of the R-word, meaning “retard” or “retarded.” Their combined efforts on the Spread the Word to End the Word™ campaign will empower youth to replace cruel words with respectful speech.
Project UNIFY Evaluation – Please read the attached document that updates the process for this year’s school evaluation process.
8 April – KMEG CBS 14 (Sioux City, IA) – Special Olympics Iowa: Unified Sports Day - North High School hosted the 2nd annual Special Olympics Iowa Unified Sports Day, uniting hundreds of athletes with and without intellectual disabilities for fun and games, including two volunteers from East Middle School.
11 April – Fox12Idaho.com – Project UNIFY – (Meridian, Idaho) Quite a few energetic kids joined together Saturday for sports and fun. This Special Olympics event was a little unique. It was called "Project Unify Youth Games" and it was an introduction to Special Olympics.
In Their Own Words
Jenny Zhong and Danielle Liebl, both YAC members, blog about the idea of acceptance, the r-word and how it is a form of bullying on Teen TRUTH.com
Clint Armistead, YAC Member and SOKS Board Member, writes about the r-word from a youth perspective on Disability.gov.
Read Anderson Williams’ blog that appeared in the Cascade Educational Consultants’ website. This blog is entitled “Says and Means” and is focused on the language we use in youth, community, and social justice work and how it arguably predicts some of the barriers we face to success in this work.
Spread the Word News
31 March – AZFamily.com – “Retiring the R-Word” – Students all over the country are gathering to "spread the word to end the word."Deborah Taylor, a teacher at Raymond S. Kellis High School in Glendale, tells Tara Hitchcock all about the movement, which is meant to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.
1 April – Daily Express (Missouri, USA) – Wave against ‘r-word’ Walk down the halls of any school and the word “retard” is bound to be heard. It’s become synonymous with “stupid,” a connotation that a national campaign is fighting to leave behind. The “r” Word Campaign is a national initiative spearheaded by the Special Olympics aimed at stamping out the word because of how much hurt it can bring to those with developmental disabilities and their loved ones, said actor Bill Chott as he spoke to a gymnasium of about 250 students and teachers Tuesday at Kirksville High School.
From Mandy Roger – a parent in Mississippi. The term mentally retarded is being replaced with a person with an intellectual disability and the term mental retardation isbeing replaced with an intellectual disability in Mississippi Code sections. The Mississippi House and Senate passed this bill and requested immediate release for the Governor to sign. Several committed legislators, parents, individuals, family members, friends and advocates working on this legislation and their hard work paid off. They never gave up and we appreciate them so much. We want to thank each one of them who supports using respectful language for people with Intellectual Disabilities.
High Timber Times - Lesson Plans: art, recycling, respect and writing - If you use the words “retarded” or “retard” around Conifer High School junior Kaitlyn Smith, chances are she’ll set you straight.
Grant & Leadership Opportunities
NG Unsung Heroes (Deadline: April 30)
The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards. Are you an educator with a class project that is short on funding but long on potential? Do you know a teacher looking for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes® could help you turn great ideas into reality for students. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000. Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with effective projects that improve student learning at an accredited K-12 public or private school. www.ing.com/us/unsungheroes
World of Children Founder's Youth Award (Deadline: May 1)
The World of Children Awards program was created to recognize and elevate those selfless individuals who make a difference in the lives of children here in the USA and across the globe, regardless of political, religious or geographical boundaries. The 2010 Founder's Youth Award - maximum grant of up to $25,000 - recognizes youth that are making extraordinary contributions to the lives of other children. Nominee must be under the age of 21, and must have an existing non-profit organization in good standing, which can receive grant funds if awarded. www.worldofchildren.org/index.php/awards
100 Best Communities for Young People (Deadline: June 1)
America's Promise Alliance and the ING Foundation are now seeking entries for the 2010 100 Best Communities for Young People (100 Best) competition. The Alliance and the ING Foundation seek to recognize 100 American cities and towns whose top priority is keeping children in school and helping end the nation's dropout crisis through innovative programs that are addressing everyday challenges facing young people and creating better places for them to live and grow. Winning communities receive national recognition and media exposure, financial and logistic support to celebrate selection at a local event, commemorative awards to be displayed in the community, exposure to Alliance partner resources and the insights of other winning communities through an innovative online space to exchange ideas, and invitations to exclusive online informational events featuring Alliance partners designed to strengthen local efforts. Interested communities can applythrough June 1. www.americaspromise.org/100Best
General Media Highlights From Around the Country
14 April – The Valley Breeze – New Cougar Team Unites in Its Differences
In its first season, the North Providence High School Unified basketball team is doing much more than giving kids who normally would not play a varsity sport the chance to don a Cougars uniform.
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