L-R on the back row - Ayla Jones, Katie Hall, Sarah Holleman, Eve Greene, Christina Torres, Joseph Stewart, Mary Gray Cunningham, Sarah Piscitelli, Demarcus Bullock, Alexis Robinson and Krista May and L-R on the front row -Sara Keesler, Dustin Edmondson, Shaheem Bullock, Candace Gouge and Trey Gibson.
Raleigh, NC – Eight pairs of students from across North Carolina were trained to become official spokespersons for the organization after they participated in the first-ever Project UNIFY Sargent Shriver Global Messenger program in North Carolina on March 26-27 at the Special Olympics North Carolina headquarters in Morrisville, according to SONC President Keith L. Fishburne. As Project UNIFY Global Messenger partners (one Special Olympics athlete and one general education student), these pairs will deliver speeches together to encourage their peers to get involved in the Special Olympics movement.
The Global Messenger program is one of several athlete leadership programs offered by Special Olympics through which athletes have the opportunity to demonstrate leadership skills outside of sports. The training offers public speaking and presentation skills training to athletes interested in representing the movement.
Special Olympics Project UNIFY is an education-based project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, that uses the sports and education programs of Special Olympics to activate young people across the U.S in order to promote school communities where all young people are agents of change – fostering respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics believes that through sports young people can make a difference in friendships, schools and communities.
SONC Vice President of Communications Megan O’Donnell of Cary and SONC Sr. Vice President of Finance and Resource Development Olivia Laney of Raleigh and SONC Vice President of Field Services and Program Innovations A’Lisa Tello of Wilmington served as trainers.
Global Messengers are available to make presentations about Special Olympics in communities across the state. To schedule a speech, contact Megan O’Donnell at 919-818-4598.
The following students are new Project UNIFY Global Messenger Partners for Special Olympics North Carolina.
SONC Athlete & Partner
Alexis Robinson of Greenville & Krista May of Greenville (South Central High School)
Eve Greene of Ahoskie (Hertford County High School) & Christina Torres of Como (Hertford County Early College)
Dustin Edmondson of Greensboro (Brooks Global Studies Magnet Elementary) & Sarah Piscitelli of Greensboro (Northern Guilford High School)
Joseph Stewart of Mount Airy & Sarah Holleman of Mount Airy (North Surry High School)
Shaheem Bullock of Sims & Mary Gray Cunningham of Wilson (Hunt High School)
Demarcus Bullock of Sims & Ayla Jones of Wilson (Hunt High School)
Trey Gibson of Mount Holly & Sara Keesler of Belmont (Southpoint High School)
Katie Hall of Marion & Candace Gouge of Marion (McDowell High School)
Special Olympics North Carolina offers year-round sports training and competition for more than 38,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. These athletes inspire greatness through their success and provide motivation to the thousands of coaches, sports officials, local program committee members and event organizers involved in Special Olympics statewide. SONC offers Olympic-type competition in 19 sports on local and state levels and is one of the largest Special Olympics program in North America in terms of registered athletes.
