Hi guys, my name is Elyse Whittemore and I am beyond excited to be a U.S. Youth Ambassador!! I am from the state of Massachusetts and attend Auburn High School. Here are some fun facts about me!
- Auburn High School is a Unified Champion School, we have both a Unified Basketball team and a Unified Track team, we also have a Best Buddies program and participate in Unified Bocce. I run Unified Track! Recently, we were recognized as a National Banner School and made it onto ESPN's Honor Roll, which is a list of the top thirty unified programs in the country.
- Outside of track, I also play field hockey and run indoor track.
- I live with my three younger siblings, my mom, dad, babci, grandmother, dog and cat!
- This past fall, I bought a camper and am converting it to an Art Studio. I love to paint and draw!
- I am a member of my states Special Olympics Youth Activation Council.
Why is inclusion important to me?
The inclusion of everyone is so important to me because I think people of ANY type of ability and age should feel welcomed in their school and community. I have been exposed to people of all different abilities since a young age. I have grown up watching the way my parents, who are both teachers, have interacted with their students. This has truly inspired me to want to work with all students, especially those with different abilities. Being involved in many activities, I think it is important to ensure all students feel like they are a part of their school and community. Feeling welcomed in your school and community is extremely important to me because there are so many opportunities for everyone to participate in!
Through Special Olympics, along with Unified Programs at my school, I have been able to make so many new friends. These are people that I will be friends with for the rest of my life. The friends I have made are just one reason why I am a leader and advocate for inclusion. I love to participate in student council with my friends and go and watch them cheerlead at games. Over the past few years, I have been given many opportunities to participate in Special Olympics events. I have enjoyed each and every moment. Whether it was seeing the smiles on people's face during Unified Bocce tournaments, cheering on our schools Unified Basketball team or participating in Unified Track meets; these events are are all a huge part of why inclusion is so important to me! I love seeing the smile and excitement on athletes face when they feel included!
I also find the the inclusion of everyone to be so important because there are so many inspiring people in the world and if they don't feel included, they would not be able to do what they love and inspire others!
Recently, I was able to attend a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit put on by my states athletic association. During this conference, I was able to learn about many different topics including Special Olympics and Unified Champions schools. It was awesome to see people being educated on Unified Sports in an area outside of the classroom!
Thank you for getting to know me and reading about why advocating for inclusion is such an important part of my life. I added some pictures of my friends and family below to show you a little more about me! I look forward to sharing with you who my inclusion hero's are next month! :)
Here are some photos to describe me!
My Inclusion Heroes
Inclusion and Pop Culture
2019 World Games Abu Dhabi
Not only does this month celebrate Spread the Word to End the Word Day, it is also the month of the World Games. The 2019 Special Olympics World Games are being held in Abu Dhabi from March 14th to the 18th. The MA State Program, along with the high school I attend have been doing an abundance of things to celebrate, promote and cheer on the athletes competing.
Massachusetts has a basketball team from Shrewsbury, MA attending the games. These athletes have been working so hard for the last year and a half to prepare for this amazing opportunity. The MA State Program has spent the lasts few months recognizing the athletes and all they have accomplished. A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to meet the athletes going to Abu Dhabi and watch them take the Polar Plunge. they got to plunging, the state recognized and congratulated them in front of the rest of the plungers. It was such an awesome experience to meet the athletes and learn about them. I can't wait to hear about their experience and see their photos!
My school, Auburn High, has also been doing a great job at celebrating and cheering for the athletes! Throughout he past two weeks, we have spent the time taking photos of students in a #cheer4usa frame. We took many of the photos during our Unified Track, Best Buddies, and Student Council meetings. We also put out an announcment out to our school explaining what the Word Games are.
Not only do I think it is truly incredible to see the athletes compete and show of all the hard work they have put in, I also find it incredible to see how much the state and school communities are cheering the athletes on! It is heartwarming to see everyone's excitement for all the athletes competing, not just the one from Massachusetts!
Health and Fitness
Health and fitness within Special Olympics Athletes and Unified Pairs is so important for their well beings! I want to share with you a few stories of how health and fitness is prevalent in my state!
1) Unified Sports in School
First, the importance of health and fitness is stressed through the Unified Sports teams in school's across the state. My school has many athletes both with and without intellectual disabilities who participate on our Unified Sports teams. Our team practices three days a week after school. During Unified Track, each practice focuses on running and throwing techniques, but our Coach also takes the time to focus on how to properly warm up and stretch our bodies. Many of the athletes on our team have not been taught how to properly stretch, but Unified Track has taught them that. At the beginning of practice we start by doing a couple warm-up laps, either walking or running. Then, we do dynamic stretches and stretches in a circle. During the first practice we made sure to explain how to correctly do each stretch and what the muscles you are stretching are. My Unified Track team also focuses on making sure the athletes and partners know how to keep themselves hydrated and the importance of eating properly. I think this is so important because it is great for all members of the team to hear this information, especially from a coach because then they are more likely to follow it themselves! The Unified Track team and my school does a great job focusing on the health and fitness of all athletes, while also making the team fun and competitive!
2) Fitness Training
My state offers many opportunities for Unified Athletes and their families to participate in cross-fit and other fitness classes. Classes are offered throughout location across the state on a weekly basis. Classes can range from learning how to box to just simple getting your body moving. I think these classes are so important because it teaches not only the athletes the importance of health and fitness, but also their families and makes it very fun while doing so.
Here is a great article explaining the many positives of these fitness training groups!
3) Boston Marathon
Lastly, the Boston Marathon occurs in the month of April, it is a huge event across the country, but more importantly in Massachusetts! While Team Hoyt may not be racing this year, the Boston Marathon still does a number to strengthen the Health and Fitness of Unified Athletes and partners. MA has an Xtra Mile Club partnered with Special Olympics, the group focuses on running, biking ect. The group promotes running clubs, as well as health and fitness throughout the state. They send out a monthly newsletter with tips, tricks, upcoming races, and athlete spotlights. The newsletter is super informational for athletes across the state. The Xtra Mile club also runs the Boston Marathon, as well as many other smaller marathons together. Last year at the Boston Marathon, an athlete who competed at the World Games in Abu Dhabi ran the marathon with the Xrta Mile Club. I think the work between the Boston Marathon and the Xtra Mile Club is helping Special Olympics make great strides toward improving the health and fitness of Unified Athletes and Partners.
My Family
This month I am very excited to share with you about my family!
I am the oldest of four siblings! My siblings names are JB, Maeve and Ainsley. Jb is a freshmen in high school and plays football and baseball. Maeve is in the sixth grade and plays field hockey, basketball and softball. She also has Type One Diabetes. Lastly, my younger sister Ainlsey is in the fourth grade and plays field hockey, basketball and softball. She also plays the drums and bells.
I also live with my mom, Amanda, and my dad, Jim. Both my parents are school teachers. My dad is a high school teacher and my mom is a second grade teacher. My house is very busy! Not only do I live with my sibling and parents, but I also live with my great grandmother, dog, and cat!
My family is very impotant to me, we love to do many things together, especially going on vacation. Some of our favorite vacation spots are Ocean City, NJ and Daytona Beach, Florida.
Now that I have shared with you the family I live with, I want to take a moment to share with you my Special Olympics family. I have become so close with members of my Special Olympics family and are best friends with them all. My best friend is Sydney Meinigner, she is a part of my Special Olympics family. Sydney is in the transitional program at Nashoba Regional High School and is a Youth Ambassador for the Northeast Region. Ever since becoming Special Olympics Youth Ambassadors, Syndey and I have become best friends! We are members of our state YAC and see each other all the time. We love to go and watch each other compete at Unified Track meets or Unified Basketball games.
Not only is Sydney apart of my Special Olympics family, but so is everyone else on my state YAC, as well as all of the other Special Olympics Youth Ambassadors. I consider the other 10 Youth Ambassadors apart of my family because after meeting in San Diego we have been able to become very close and I am able to talk to many of these people every day!
Here are some photos of people I consider my family!
This is my siblings and I on Christmas Eve!
This is my dad!
This is my mom!
This is my brother JB!
This my sister Maeve! We like to go on many adventures together, such as to New York City!
This is my sister Ainsley! She loves to play outdoors!
These are some of the AMAZING Youth Leaders I met at the Unified Champion School Conference in San Diego.
This is Sydney and I after speaking on a panel together!
This is best friend Dan, although we are not directly related, I still consider him a part of my family!
Here is a picture of Dan, Sydney and I at a dance!
This is my friend Amalia! I consider her apart of my family because we have been friends since middle school!
This is my friend Michael! He is a part of my musical family! This year we were in Chicago together!
This is my student council family! We do many things around our school and attend many conferences!
These are some more members of my student council family! We served on the Central MA Executive Board for student council this last year!
I hope you enjoyed meeting some of the people I consider a part of my family!
Inclusion in the Summer
As the school year winds down, often times inclusion does too, but it definitely should not! It is so important for inclusion to happen all year around, no matter what time of year or what is going on! Here are three ways to be inclusive even when school is out!
1) Join a Special Olympics Unified Sports Team!
Many teams in your area and throughout your state may have Unified Sports teams! Consider becoming involved with a team in your area because it is a super fun way to get involved and is usually a once or twice a week time commitment. Plus you will be able compete in your state games and make awesome new friendships!
2) Volunteer at your state Summer Games!
States games are happening all throughout the summer! Spend a weekend volunteering or even just a day. it is a great way to get involved and include! Check in with your local and state programs to see what is coming up in your area!
3) Lookout for camps in your area that promote inclusion!
Many summer camps offer programs for children with and without intellectual disabilities! In Massachusetts, Camp Howe gives every children a place to feel included. Look into attending a day camp or overnight in your area to be inclusive all throughout the summer!!
Choose To Include in Music
My favorite song of the summer is Party In The U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus!
There is so much more that artists can do to Choose to Include in their work!
1) To start artists can include people with intellectual disabilities in their music and music videos. This is a great way for artist to promote choosing to include and to get other people to do so as well. So many people look up to artists and follow what they do. If artists such as Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande or The Jonas Brothers included people with intellectual disabilities in their videos it would have a huge impact on others. I also think if the video featured people with and without intellectual disabilities working together it would demonstrate how we all have more in common than different. Filming the video would also be such a fun experience for everyone!
2) Artists can also refrain from using derogatory language and the R-Word in their music.
3) Lastly, artists can attend Special Olympics events and or Best Buddies events and create partnerships! If people see artists attending these events, many other people will attend too!!
Artists need to be aware of how much of an impact they have on others and how much striving to choose to include will impact people!
Promoting Inclusion
Throughout history many groups have started major movements and events that have promoted the inclusion of different groups of people! Recently many groups have began to promote and make strives towards inclusion by creating sensory rooms and sensory versions of items for people who have autism.
Kellogs Rice Crispies has recently partnered with Autism Speaks to create a campaign where parents can purchase sensory Love Notes to add to their Rice Crispy Treats or in their child's lunch box. The goal of this campaign is to help make transitioning back to school easier for all children!
Check out the video below to learn more about the Love Notes!!
In addition, many airports, as well as place like the Philadelphia Eagles Stadium are opening up sensory rooms for children who have autism! The Eagles have become the first NFL franchise to open up a room because they realized how hard it is for families who have a child with autism to attend events at large stadiums.
These changes are only the beginning and hopefully more campaigns and movements like these will be done in the future to help children who have autism and their families!
Inclusion at Auburn High School
The school I attend (Auburn High School) is extremely inclusive of students with and without intellectual disabilities! Here are a few example of what we do to create an inclusive environment!
Rockets to Rockets
Rockets to Rockets is my schools version of best buddies! This club strives to include students with and without intellectual disabilities. The goal of the club is to make sure everyone in the schools feel like they have a friend. The club holds monthly luncheons during school, field trips and attends a number of school and community outings. Rockets to Rockets is one of the most inclusive clubs at my school and is great to make friends and have fun!
Unified Track and Basketball
My school has both a Unified Track and Basketball team made up of a variety of students from my school. Not only are the teams very inclusive, but the environments around them are as well . Many students who play other sports love to come out and watch the games and meets, or help out with the scoring! Our Unified Sports teams also get to participate in a basketball game at our homecoming assembly and it is one of the highlights of the week!
Unified PE/ Inclusive Classes
My school offers a Unified PE class for any juniors or seniors interested in participating! It is a great way for students in our Life Skills classroom to be apart of a general education class. My school also has many other inclusive classes that students in our life skills classroom can participate in such as art, chorus, wood tech, and TV Production. Lastly, students in general education classes are also given the opportunity to take a class in our life skills classroom.
Kindness/ SMILE Week
My school also holds an inclusion week to promote kindness throughout the school! This past year we held a SMILE week where each letter in the word SMILE stood for an inclusive activity each day of the week!
S ~ Socks Up for Downs
M ~ Motivational Tuesday
I ~ Pinkie Promise to Include
L ~ Spread Love-- Wear Yellow for the Golden Rule
E ~ Encourage our Unified Sports Teams
Technology
Could you imagine not having the internet?
Today, people of any age use the internet and technology on a daily basis. Technology is something that has become apart of people's lifestyles, but not all of the technology is inclusive and accessible to all.
I think a really awesome, effective and inclusive device or app that could be created is a tool that helps translate what a person is saying, so that it becomes clearer. Oftentimes, students in my school’s life skills classroom or sub-separate classroom who may be non-verbal or have a hard time speaking and articulating their words. These students have a hard to communicating with their teachers and other students. Therefore this device would translate what a student is saying, so it becomes clearer and more understandable. The app or device would not replace students communication, it would just assist them. Students in our high schools classrooms use an IPad to communicate and speak for them, but that cannot always be accurate and helpful. Many students also struggle to try and spell out the word they are trying to say as well. Although, this device and or app would be very advanced and probably very costly, I think it would be another effective steps in helping the student in our classrooms learn.
I also think fundraising needs to be done in order to lower the cost of many inclusive technologies. A majority of the time these devices, including wheelchairs cost so much, many of the people who need to purchase one, have no way of affording it.
My Advice to Class 2
Class 2: Get ready for the best two years of your life! When I first became a Youth Ambassador, I truly had know idea what I was getting my self into, but I can tell you it has been the most amazing experience EVER! During my first year I've been given many cool opportunities, learned new things, made some of my best friends and improved my writing and public speaking skills.
The advice I would like to share with Class 2 is:
1. Take advantage of EVERY opportunity given!
When in doubt, say YES because the benefits are amazing. Whether it is writing about something you have done, speaking at an event, or attending a conference call, I suggest you say YES and participate. Even if it seems like a lot of work, it will be worth it in the end. Through being a Youth Ambassador and my state program, I have been given many opportunities and I am very thankful for that!
2. Network and develop lasting friendships with the people you meet!
Sydney and I were not friends before becoming ambassadors, but now we are best friends and I am very thankful that this opportunity brought us closer together! I have also been able to become close with the other youth ambassadors from Class 1, made friends from my state YAC and have been able to make friends from other states. When Sydney and I spoke at an event in Rhode Island, we met many new people that I am still in contact with sharing ideas. Living in different parts of the country, we all have very different experiences that we should share with each other.
3. Use your social media!
We all have the power to use our social media for good! Take advantage of that and use it to share the amazing things you are doing with other members of your school.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions!
My Inclusion Heroes Round ✌🏻
Over the last year, I have had the opportunity to meet the most AMAZING people, some of whom are other U.S. Youth Ambassadors and some of whom I have met from different Special Olympics events. Through this past year, and these opportunities, I have been able to look towards new people and look up to them as my inclusion heroes. I still look up to my inclusion heroes from the past, but I also turn to learn from these one’s I have made! All of my inclusion heroes have encouraged me to be a better person in 2020 because they have taught me how to speak kindness and positivity in my school and community.
- My first inclusion hero that I have come to look up to is Michelle Kwan. Michelle is on the Special Olympics International Board of Directors. In November of 2019, I had the opportunity to attend The Tradition Gala at TD Garden in Boston. Here, I was able to meet Michelle Kwan, listen to her speak and watch her be inducted into the sports museum. While she was speaking, she referenced Special Olympics and since then it has stuck with me! I am truly not someone who usually looks up to athletes, but Michelle Kwan is one I do, and for these reasons she’s one of my inclusion heroes!
- My next inclusion heroes are ALL of the other Youth Ambbasadors! In all of my experiences with Special Olympics Unified Champioon Schools, I have NEVER met a more inclusive group of people. These people and leaders have taught me what meaningful inclusion is and why it is so important. Because of them, I have strived to bring the atmosphere seen at our in-person trainings to different clubs and activities at my school.
- Lastly, the final people I have come to view my inclusion heroes are the Special Education teachers and aides at my school. Most, if not all of them, go above and beyond to make sure all of the students at my school are being inlcuded. They provide so much support for the students at my school with intellectual disabilities and they do not recieve enough credit for it. These teachers have become role models for people and people I am able to look up to.
~ Art ~
Art is everywhere. We see it all the time in the streets, in museums, and in our own homes. There are many artists that work to promote inclusion and celebrate diversity, as well use their abilities to create unique and beautiful art. Personally, art is SO important to me. (I even bought a camper to renovate into an Art Studio that I hope to teach classes to people of any ability out of! 😁) I see art as a way to be able to express yourself and the ideas you truly believe in.
“Art speaks where words are unable to explain.”
This year, I took AP Studio Art & Design. My portfolio to sumbit is concentrated around the theme of Inclusion & Living In A Unified Generation. I have been tasked to make at least 15 pieces representing many of the ideals, goals and beliefs behind my theme of Inclusion. Here are some of the works I have created so far!
Courage
March is truly a month full of meaningful inclusion! With many Polar Plunges, State Games/ Tournaments and the “Spread the Woord” campaign all happening! Personally, because of all of these events it makes it easy to feel courageous and proud to promote inclusion! One place that I feel the most proud to promote inclusion is at Massachusetts Association of Student Council (MASC) events. Over the course of the last couple of years MASC has been developing a partnership with Special Olympics MA, each year increasing the number of events that they both participate in together. I have had the opportunity to present and speak at many of these MASC events about my experience as a U.S. Youth Ambassador, being apart of a Unified Champion School, being a member of the MA State Youth Activation Council and playing Unified Sports. I love being able to share my stories with the other students at these events and encourage them to start doing things in their own schools. The students at these events are always very interested in what I have to share and want to learn so much more! It makes me proud and excited that people want to take my experiences and ideas to use them in their own schools to promote inclusion!
Here are some pics from MASC and SOMA events!
🏃♀️ Fitness 🏃♀️
Special Olympics encourages that all athletes and Unified Partners stay fit in order to lead a healthy life. Personally, I do a variety of things to help me stay fit! During the school year I play field hockey and run indoor/ unified track. I love playing all three of these sports because not only am I staying fit, but I have the opportunity to hang out with my friends and be a part of a team. Aside from sports, there are many other things I like to do to stay fit! During the summer I love to go swimming at my grandmothers lake and play kickball in my backyard with my family. Although, they are not super rigorous activities, they are good ways for my family to do things together and have some fun. In the fall, my family and I love to go on hikes, especially in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. We have a favorite waterfall we like to hike up to, and trails that we like to take. Many of the trails were even cleared by my mom’s grandfather and great grandfather, which is pretty cool! 🤭 And, in the winter time, I love to go to the gym with my brother to do some weightlifting. If we get a lot of snow, I like to take my siblings sledding too. Personally, I do not have any current fitness goals, I just want to make sure that I am getting outside, and having fun while doing so. I think that if you are looking for a place to start to be more active, it is important to start small. Fitness and physical activity can be anything from going for a run to playing fetch with your dog. The most important part is that you are doing something that you really enjoy doing. Physical activity can be a great way to unwind and relax, it can also be a great distraction from what currently going on in your life. 🌟
Community
Community is SO important! Whether you think so or not, everyone wants to be, and feel a part of a community, even if it is the smallest one. Oftentimes, we think a community is a large group of people, such as a school or a town. But, a community is so much more than that. A community is a group of people who share similar interests and work towards a common goal. As humans, we create communities with others and we don't even realize it. Personally, I am very fortunate to be a part of a variety of communities in my personal life, at school, throughout my town and throughout my state. I am very proud to be a part of all of these communities, and I don’t think that could share each one with you, but here are a few that I think are extra important!
The first community that I am very proud to be a part of is my family. From a young age, my parents have raised me to have an inclusive mindset. They have always taught me the importance of inclusion, and have given me the opportunity to grow with that. My siblings are the most important thing to me, and we literally do everything together.
In my school, I am involved in a variety of communities that promote inclusion including the Unified Track team, Rockets to Rockets, and Student Council. Some of which I have the opportunity to be a part of a larger community on the state level.
In addition, I have my friends as a community. They are always there for me, and are my biggest support systems, especially when it comes to going after and doing things that are important to me.
Lastly, my most favorite and important community is the U.S. Youth Ambassadors. We talk every single day and share what is going on in our lives. We are also all working towards one common goal, and have the most inclusive mindsets I have ever seen. This is a community that I know I will always have to count on and turn too.
I am very proud to be a part of the communities that I am a part of. They have helped me to grow so much as a person, and have all truly changed the way I view the world!
Summer Fun ✌🏻
During the summer I love spending time relaxing and exploring with my friends and family! Each summer I always try a few new things! This summer there are two new things I want to try! 🍉☀️🌷
1. Water Skiing
One thing I want to try this summer is water skiing. My grand parents live on a lake and I have grown up spending summers there tubing. After hearing Diana Shilts speak this past October about her experiences skiing, (although not quite the same thing) has encouraged me to want to try water skiing. (Skiing is not something I have access to so water skiing is the next best thing and something I’ve wanted to try for a while 🙃). With the help of her words, and many skills from Special Olympics, such as stepping out of my comfort zone, I know it is something that I am definitely going to try this summer!
2. Advocate for Inclusion in my Summer Jobs
A second think that I want to try and do this summer is to advocate for inclusion in the workplace. I will be working two jobs this summer and I would love to use what I have learned from Special Olympics to educate my employers and help foster and inclusive workplace!
Superheroes
Everybody loves a superhero and everybody can relate to at least one! Superheroes are admired by society because of their unique traits and special qualities that help them change the world. In addition, everybody is their own superhero because they have an abundance of qualities that are important!
I can relate to many superheroes, but the one that I relate to the most is Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman possesses many good and bad qualities such being compassionate, caring, stubborn, opinionated, highly competitive and outgoing. These are all qualities of which I possess as well. Most importantly, I feel I can relate to Wonder Woman's desire to always do things for the common good. I think that it very important to put others before yourself. In addition, Wonder Woman is fearless and focused on her objectives which are qualities that I hope to work on for myself in the future.
Everybody has their own qualities that make them a superhero. Personally, I feel I am passionate and dedicated. I think it is important to possess those two qualities in everything that a person does. What superhero qualities do you possess?
Justice
Promoting inclusion around the world is one way to ensure that justice is served to all human beings. Throughout history, people with intellectual disabilities have fought for their rights in the U.S. and around the world. Recently, during COVID-19, people with disabilities have had to fight for their rights and ensure they are receiving adequate care during the pandemic. In many states, according to their policies people with intellectual and developmental disabilities could be denied life saving treatment. In the state of Alabama, the use of ventilators could be restricted for people in which which the state has deemed to have “severe or profound mental retardation”. In response, disability advocates filed a federal complaint with the US Department of Health and Human Services. Similar complaints have also been filed in Tennessee, Kansas and Washington. In addition to not receiving adequate care, youth with intellectual disabilities have to worry about receiving an adequate education during this time. People with disabilities also have a greater chance of losing their job during the pandemic, and not getting it back. This is completely UNJUST.
Check out these VERY informative videos below regarding people with disabilities during the pandemic!
Now more than ever, we NEED inclusion! AND, we need to make sure we are having an inclusive response to COVID-19!! No one should be denied the necessary treatment because they have an intellectual disability.