Chicago AIU Alumni Lend a Hand to the Special Olympics
September 20, 2011
•Alumni, AIU Cares, AIU Online
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AIU Alumni from the Chicago Chapterwere on hand to volunteer at this year’s Special Olympics Motor Activities Training Program (MATP), held at Fairview Elementary School in Schaumburg, IL. This unique program is designed to meet the needs of those with profound disabilities who do not yet possess the physical and/or behavioral skills necessary to compete in official Special Olympics sports.
Though several days of severe storms knocked out power to the school and threatened to cancel the program, Mother Nature cooperated on the day of the event. The children, instructorsand volunteers were greeted with mostly sunny skies and mild temperatures.
With the fine weather and the help of AIU Alumni volunteers, the day was a rousing success. More than one hundred young athletes gathered to show off their skills in events such as volleyball, bowling, water relay and balance beam among other activities.
AIU is proud to support the MATP program, which provides a comprehensive motor activity and recreation training curriculum. It has been developed based on the belief that all persons can participate in sport training at some level, and that sport participation is beneficial and can facilitate appropriate physical and social skills necessary to bring interaction with ondisabled peers in community settings.
MATP emphasizes training and participation rather than competition, and utilizes goals, short term objectives, task analyzed activities, assessments, and teaching suggestions to individualize instruction for each athlete involved. It provides a way for persons with severe disabilities to participate in appropriate recreation activities geared to their ability levels. All of the athletes involved in our program received certificates of participation, along with the coveted Special Olympics medal.
For more information on Special Olympics Illinois, visit www.soill.org.
If you’d like to join other alumni in support of our next event, contact: alumni@aiuonline.edu.