 |  |
Washington College Student-Athlete Mentors to Host Special Olympics Event
CHESTERTOWN, MD -- Washington College's Student-Athlete Mentors are partnering with Special Olympics Maryland to host the latter organization's 2011 Unified Outdoor Bocce State High School Invitational on Thursday, May 12th, at the College's Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium.
The event will feature bocce teams of six-to-eight people representing nine school systems (Anne Arundel County, Caroline, Dorchester County, Kent County, Queen Anne’s County, Somerset County, St. Mary’s County, Talbot County, and Wicomico County) and will run from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. In the event of rain, the event will be rescheduled for Friday, May 13th.
Washington College's Student-Athlete Mentors (SAMs) are selected members of each varsity intercollegiate athletic team at the college who serve as mentors for their fellow student-athletes. The goal of the SAM program is "to create a safer and more positive environment that reduces social hazards for student athletes." The SAMs also organize a number of on-campus and community outreach efforts.
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for persons eight years of age and older with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.
The vision of Special Olympics Maryland is to be the leader in lifelong and unified sports programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities, empowering athletes to be valued members of their community and respected members of society.
Those interested in volunteering to help at the 2011 Unified Outdoor Bocce State High School Invitational are encouraged to register online at http://www.somd.org/registration/2011/outdoorbocce2011.php.
