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Show 7 Special Olympics' aim is wide, inclusive BY MIKAYLA BEYER Hilltop Times staff S pecial Olympics has provided a chance for people with intellectual disabilities to show their athletic skills since 1968. Now a group of Utah children ages 2-7 are participating in weekend sessions with the Special Olympics Utah's Young Athletes program, giving them an outlet for their energy and sense of community. "The Young Athletes Program is a curriculum that's been developed for Special Olympics to provide motor skill and social skill improvements for young kids with disabilities. We're thrilled with it, and we've partnered with Hill AFB to bring this program to many of the service members' children who have intellectual disabilities," said Jodi Katz, the Project UNIFY liaison for Special Olympics Utah. The program, which received a grant from the Department of Defense, started its first program with hour-long sessions on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Special Olympics hopes to expand it for children throughout the state. Dancing, a variety of sport-related exercises and group activities are included in the program, and See ATHLETES I page 10 DAVID PERRY/U.S. Air Force Tyson Graham holds a bean bag to throw through a hoop with the help of his mother, Laura, at a Special Olympics Utah's Young Athletes program, at Hill Field Elementary School. The program helps with motor and social skills for the young participants. Above, Dulce Heathcoe helps her son, Terrance, roll a ball at a Saturday morning session. At right, Landon Graham steps over an obstacle with the help of volunteers. Participation in activities help improve eye-hand coordination, balance and other motor skills for young athletes. These Airmen are suited for trouble w BY MARY LOU GORNY Hilltop Times editor 66 MARY LOU GORNY/Hilltop Times Starbase Academy students listen closely to Staff Sgt. Bond Aulik, 775th Civil Engineer Squadron, as he describes the use of a suit designed to protect the wearer with its own air supply. The tour on Feb. 12 presented the Fremont Elementary School students a glimpse into the emergency and disaster response capabilities of the Hill AFB Emergency Response Flight. e use (this) to detect bad stuff. If it doesn't go off, then we know nothing is out there or at least what it is we are looking for. It will detect stuff that makes your skin melt off and (make) you have nightmares at night so this is a nightmare detector," said Staff Sgt. Bond Aulik, 775th Civil Engineer Squadron, to students participating in a Starbase Academy tour as he held up a detector. The 775th CES opened its doors to Starbase students to give them a glimpse into the importance of preparing for disasters, its role in base response to disasters and emergencies and to demonstrate some of its equipment Feb. 12. Students from fourth grade to sixth grade focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics with hands-on learning at the academy on base. So in this case these students were taking the opportunity to try on white chemical suits, helmets and vests. They listened closely to the sergeant as he presented a compelling explanation of what his squadron does, in order to pepper him with questions when given an opportunity. His superintendent, Master Sgt. Chris Ackerman, had welcomed the group prior to this, giving an overview of See EMERGENCY I page 9 |