School District Hosts Special Olympics Awareness Games

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More than 1,000 people, including athletes, staff and student volunteers, descended onto River Ridge High School for the Cherokee County School District’s Special Olympics Awareness Games.

The games, which were held on Friday, Oct. 9, included participants from almost every elementary, middle and high school.

The athletes competed in various track and field events, along with other fun activities, to promote the year-round Special Olympics program.

The games opened with a parade of athletes from all the schools, presentation of the colors by River Ridge JROTC, the Special Olympics oath, the National Anthem and a special song performed by a group of athletes.

The annual event is coordinated through the district’s Office of Educational Programs, and organized by adaptive physical education teachers Dave Martinez and Amy Aenchbacher and assisted by Jennifer Merges.

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PHOTO 1: Sequoyah HS student Iain Anderson knocks the ball off the tee in a field event.
PHOTO 2: Viviana Cristobal of Cherokee HS takes her turn at the ball toss.
PHOTO 3: James Stagliano of Creekview HS participates in the bean bag toss.
PHOTO 4: Bascomb ES student Aidan Carr pushes for the finish line support by volunteer Drew Hines.
PHOTO 5: Avery ES student Hudson Scheck, left, prepares for his race with Friends Club volunteer Abbey Carver, right.
PHOTO 6: Hudson Scheck and Abbey Carver run for the finish line.
PHOTO 7: More than 200 River Ridge HS students volunteered at the event, which the school hosted in its stadium.
PHOTO 8: School Board Chair Kyla Cromer, left, and fellow School Board Members John Harmon and Kelly Poole watch the parade of athletes.
PHOTO 9: Event Co-Coordinator Dave Martinez welcomes the crowd, as Master of Ceremonies Anton Zellman looks on.
PHOTO 10: River Ridge HS student Matthew Helton sprints during his leg of the torch run.
PHOTO 11: Dave Martinez assists Etowah HS student Gabby Allen at the end of the torch relay.
PHOTO 12: CCSD Special Education Supervisor Sheryl Gould, left, assists Cherokee HS student Matthew Taylor in reciting the Special Olympic Oath.
PHOTO 13: Matthew Taylor expresses his excitement after completing the oath and is congratulated by Sheryl Gould, left.
PHOTO 14: Woodstock HS students, from left to right, Manolo Mejia, Jeremiah Moore, Ana Lisa Lopez and Kimmy Dominguez prepare to sing for the opening ceremonies.
PHOTO 15: School Board Vice Chair Patsy Jordan, left, and School Board member Kelly Poole, right, capture moments from the opening ceremonies.
Photo credits: Cherokee County School District