Get Involved with Special Olympics

“Dignity, acceptance, and a chance to reach one’s potential – these are human rights worth promoting for everyone. For more than four decades, Special Olympics has been bringing one message to the world: people with intellectual disabilities can and will succeed if given the opportunity.”

I am so excited to volunteer at the upcoming Track and Field Special Olympics Friday April 29 and Saturday April 30 at Cedar Hill High School!

Come out and see how Special Olympics impacts the lives of hundreds and thousands of intellectually disabled children each year!

Special Olympics is where athletes with intellectual disabilities celebrate and are celebrated for their accomplishments. It's often the first time that our athletes have truly taken center stage and been recognized as individuals. And the focus is not limited to sports. In diverse areas like healthcare, leadership training, legislative self advocacy and employment, Special Olympics takes a leadership role.

There are so many ways to get involved!

	What YOU Can Do
	·         Volunteer with Special Olympics near you to see what you can do to help.
	·         Be a fan in the stands at a Special Olympics event near you.
	·         Follow Special Olympics online through Twitter, Facebook and our own Fan Community
	·         Donate money to keep Special Olympics programs going.
	·         Contribute five minutes to take the pledge to stop using "retard" as an insult.
	·         Watch a video about a group of Mattel Corp. volunteers or about Mike Cohen, one outstanding coach, and then share it with five friends.
	·          Find out ways you and your church, club or friends can get involved near home. Find the Special Olympics nearest you and invite a speaker to your next get-together.
	·          If you're a college student, check out SO College to get active at your school.
	·         Get in the game by joining Special Olympics Unified Sports®, where people with and without intellectual disabilities train and compete together on the same team.
	·          Know someone with an intellectual disability? Refer them to a Special Olympics program nearby.

http://www.specialolympics.org/

Big Dreamers!

Kid’s definitely say the darnest things! I was so excited to be the guest speaker at Lake Ridge Elementary in Cedar Hill, TX, last Tuesday, April 12. Speaking to three 4^th grade classes made for an extraordinary afternoon. Expressing the importance of staying in school, setting goals, and making responsible decisions to children much younger than I am was truly inspiring. As I was giving my presentation and speaking to the children about dreaming big, a little boy raised his hand and told me he didn’t want to go to college because he was concerned that it was too expensive. To hear a 10 year old student worrying about finance at such a young age worried me. I immediately replied that money should not come in the way of what he wants to do; I encouraged him to keep his chin up and never let anyone tell him what he can and cannot do and if he keeps up his good grades, colleges will pay him to go to school. With a very fun coloring activity, kids transformed a blank cut-out into an adult version of themselves and what they want to be when they grow up. We filled the page with goals and most importantly the phrase “Character Counts”! Throughout the entire presentation, the most important subject was character. No matter where you are or who you encounter, it is important to always have a very positive and elite character!

DSPTC Dinner and Toms Walk!

Monday April 4, 2011 – Down Syndrome Partnership of Tarrant County Volunteer Appreciation Dinner

I was very pleased and honored to be called back to attend the Down Syndrome Partnership of Tarrant County’s Volunteer Appreciation Dinner! Volunteering as Miss Teen Dallas County at their annual Buddy Walk truly touched my heart and it was so remarkable to be recognized and called back as Miss Teen Texas International. The Down Syndrome Partnership of Tarrant County benefits the lives of people with Down syndrome and their families by providing information, social and educational activities and support designed to help achieve the universally desired goals of self-fulfillment, pride in one’s achievements and acceptance and inclusion in the community. With delicious pizza, extraordinary people, and a great organization, it was definitely a memorable night.


Tuesday April 5, 2011 – TOMS One Day Without Shoes Walk
Walking from my high school to downtown Cedar Hill with no shoes truly enabled me to walk in the footsteps of millions of impoverished children across the world. Spreading Poverty Awareness, I proudly support the TOMS One Day Without Shoes. For every pair of TOMS shoes purchased, one pair is donated to a child in need. With just the few miles from the high school to my destination scraped and cut my feet; I cannot imagine how millions of children walk daily without shoes. Feet enable mobility and shoes are an important necessity that we often times take for granted.

One Day Without Shoes

Join me on April 5,2011 to spread the awareness of poverty!

First generation born and raised a Bangali-American I have travelled many times to Bangladesh, an extremely third world and impoverished country. With these experiences I have witnessed poverty first-hand and have seen the triumphs young children go through simply because they have no shoes.

One Day Without Shoes is the day we spread awareness about the impact a simple pair of shoes can have on a child’s life. On April 5th, we ask people to go the day, part of the day or even just a few minutes, barefoot, to experience a life without shoes first-hand, and inspire others at the same time.

Facts:
* In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.
* Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.
* Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.
* In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
* Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.

This is to show our support for what TOMS does for children with no shoes!

http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/