Project Unified

By Meghan McCormick

January 11, 2009 01:09 am

— Special Olympics of Oklahoma hasn't only given 17-year-old Samantha Newman a chance to play sports, but also a new friend.
Newman, a Yukon High School sophomore and Sarah Cook, 18, a senior at YHS were paired together in Project Unified at the school. The project is an initiative of Special Olympics that brings students together with Special Olympics athletes.
"She's like a sister to me," Samantha said. "She's a fun person to be around."
Samantha and Sarah were in Norman this weekend for the 13th annual State Winter Games. The girls were bowling partners in Saturday's competition round.
"I'm an excellent bowler," Samantha said.
She likes to play volleyball, too, but prefers bowling.
"I'm better at bowling," she said.
Sarah said joining Project Unified was her way of getting involved in Special Olympics and recognizing athletes. This is Sarah's fourth year to attend winter games.
"It's been lots of fun," she said.
Sarah said she and Samantha hang out together whenever possible. "We eat lunch together and we went to a makeup party together."
Sarah said she will travel to Washington, D.C., in March for Special Olympics of Oklahoma. During her trip, she will meet and speak with people about the importance of Special Olympics and the need for funding.
"Overall, it's taught me about accepting people for who they are," she said.
Darryl Andrews, Yukon High School leadership teacher, said Project Unified works in three aspects. It creates awareness of Special Olympics, increases participation in unified activities and bans the "R" word.
He said high school students volunteer for the project. Andrews and faculty are in charge of finding partners for athletes.
"We pair them up," he said.
Adrian DeWendt, executive director of Special Olympics Oklahoma, said during Friday and Saturday sessions, 2,100 athletes competed in volleyball, basketball and bowling. That's about 300 more athletes than last year.
He said about 1,600 athletes competed both days in bowling.
"It's the second most popular sport in Special Olympics," he said.
DeWendt said Special Olympics doesn't receive funding from state or federal sources.
"Typically, Special Olympics raises 100 percent of its money from private donations," DeWendt said.
But Project Unified was the exception. Special Olympics drives the program with federal funds from the Department of Education, he said.
DeWendt said the project is a nationwide campaign. The idea is to help everyone in school systems with intellectual disabilities.
Yukon and Muskogee Public Schools are the first school systems in the state to introduce the program, he said.
"We're hoping it fosters growth in other school systems," DeWendt said.
He said Project Unified kicked off this school year.
"It's win-win for the community, school systems and Special Olympics of Oklahoma," DeWendt said.
Meghan McCormick
366-3539
mmccormick@normantranscript.com