D124 Special Olympics Event Bridges Inclusivity Gap

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — More than 50 students from Evergreen Park ESD 124 participated in an incredible day of competition and celebration last month for the first-ever Special Olympics Illinois event to be held in South Cook County for young athletes ages 6 through 12.

The Young Athletes Level 2 event was organized in collaboration with Evergreen Park ESD 124’s student support and diversity departments, charged with finding more opportunities for students with disabilities.

Originally set to be held at Central Middle School, the D124 Special Olympics competition was moved to the Evergreen Park Community High School Sports Complex on May 28, when more than twice the number of anticipated athletes and volunteers signed up to participate.

The goal was to pair equal numbers of students with and without disabilities to work together and participants in different stations, said Amanda Hatter, diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator for Dist. 124.

“At Evergreen, we want to be proactive about bringing inclusive events and celebrations to our district, Hatter said. “All our students deserve an equitable opportunity at events and celebrations. It’s all about bridging the gap between students with or without disabilities in a fun and inclusive way.”

Young athletes were greeted by a balloon display created by bilingual liaison Evelyn Lara and the opening ceremony began.

Evergreen Park native and a member of the silver medal-winning 2022 U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey Team Abbey Murphy opened the games and spent time during the event, cheering on athletes, spending time with families and taking pictures.

The Young Athletes Level 2 event was open only to Dist. 124 families of competing athletes that celebrated students of all abilities and friendly competition.

“We wanted to start small,” said Rebecca Tyrrell, director of D124 student support services. “We chose to host a level two event since more of our students could participate and we are already thinking about what we can do for next year.”