School District Hosts Special Olympics Awareness Games

WOODSTOCK, GA -- Hundreds of athletes, volunteers and Cherokee County School District staff members celebrated the Special Olympics Awareness Games on Friday in Woodstock.

Overcast skies and moderate temperatures kept the day comfortable for the teams, which all descended onto River Ridge High School for the annual event.

PTAs staffed activity booths in "Olympic Town" where the athletes could engage in more fun activities between sports, such as photo booths, face painting, hair coloring and temporary tattoos.

The track and filed events for the day included 50-yard dash (run, walk or roll), bean bag toss, T-ball strike, softball throw, long jump and more. The day concluded with lunch in the stadium.

The event was organized by Amy Aenchbacher, Dave Martinez and Jennifer Merges, the school district's adaptive PE teachers; adaptive music teacher Paula Dixon; and River Ridge counselor Jeff Bennett.

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Photo 1: The torch runners celebrate their finish. From left, Isaiah Burke (Sequoyah HS), Justin Ferrell (Tippens Center), Brittany Nease (Woodstock HS) and Matthew Taylor (Cherokee HS). Amanda Julian (Etowah HS) and Chandler Parrott (Creekview HS) also were torch runners.
Photo 2: Athletes and student volunteers from Avery ES race down the track in one of the events.
Photo 3: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower, right, assists Woodstock MS athlete Aracely Juarez-Irias in reciting the Oath: "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."
Photo 4: Dr. Hightower and Aracely after the oath.
Photo 5: Brittany Nease holds the torch high at the end of the relay, flanked by co-coordinators Dave Martinez and Amy Aenchbacher.
Photo 6: Tippens Center student Justin Ferrell, assisted by Dave Martinez, hands off the torch to Woodstock HS runner Brittany Nease, right.
Photo 7: Etowah HS athlete Amanda Julian sings the National Anthem.
Photo 8: River Ridge HS students had special shirts made for their day of volunteerism, sporting the inspirational message: "My Abilities Outweigh My Disabilities."
Photo 9: Dave Martinez and Anton Zellman get the athletes fired up for the day's events.
Photo 10: Canton Rotarian Anton Zellman has served as emcee of the Special Olympics Awareness Games for more than two decades.
Photo 11: Games Co-Coordinator Dave Martinez welcomes participants and spectators to the Games.
Photo 12: Etowah HS volunteer Lily Jackson, left, high-fives athlete Travis Mitchell after an event.
Photo 13: River Ridge HS volunteer Caroline Holladay adds a sticker to Avery ES competitor Sammy Grugan's shirt after he finishes the bean bag toss.
Photo 14: Nathan Tippens, Cherokee HS, takes a swing at the t-ball station.
Photo 15: CCSD Director of Special Education Charlette Green declares the games open.
Photo 16: A group of athletes prepares to sing "Bang the Drum" as part of the pre-game ceremonies.
Photo credits: Cherokee County School District