Alisa Garner, Special Olympics Coach

agarner@mexico.k12.mo.us

Mexico Schools Special Olympics provides year-round athletic competition in various Olympic-type sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities, allowing them to discover new strengths and abilities. 

Athlete Eligibility: Individuals ages 8 and up.

A person must also be identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following:

● Intellectual disability

● Autism

● Closely related development disability, which means having functional limitations in both general learning and in adaptive skills such as recreation, work, independent living, self-direction, or self-care.

Unified Partners

In order for an individual to be a Unified Partner, a Special Olympics Athlete must be available for them to partner with.  

• Individuals ages 8 and up.
• Willingness to work cooperatively and compassionately with individuals with disabilities. 
• Commitment to attend all required practices and events.  

Special Olympics Missouri competitions

Become a unified partner. 

SPORTS 

Mexico Schools currently offers the following sports, divisioned by age and ability:

Bowling

● October & November

● Unified team of 4

● Unified team of 2

● Individual

● Ramp and assisted ramp

Basketball

● December - mid-February

● 3-on-3

● Team Skills

● Individual Skills

● Wheelchair events

Track

● April - May

● Running, throwing and jumping events

● Low motor and wheelchair events

2024 Inclusion Revolution

"Everyone is welcome here!" Mexico School District hosted the second annual Inclusion Revolution at Mexico High School on April 26, 2024.

The day was filled with a pep rally, sports, games, face painting, dancing, and so much more! Today's goal was not only have fun with our Special Olympics athletes, but to also partner each of them with a buddy and promote inclusion in our schools.

The activities for the day’s events were facilitated by MHS clubs: Art Club; Stu-Co; Jellybeans; Baseball; BASS Fishing Club; Girls Wrestling; Cheer Squads; FACS; FFA; Spanish Club; TOPS; Book Eaters; FBLA. Along with volunteers from the Mexico Area Family YMCA, Audrain Developmental Disability Services, Uplift Mid-Missouri, and SOMO. We appreciate the great response from these volunteers in helping us provide a day of fun and social inclusion!

Students donned t-shirts with a quote that reflects the mindset of our special athletes' determination: See me, Hear me, Learn from Me.

The mission of the Mexico Public Schools Special Athletes is to promote social inclusion by bringing together young people with and without intellectual disabilities. Providing activities that blend all populations through inclusive student clubs and organizations helps foster youth leadership.

At its core, this integrated strategy is about unifying all students by using sports and inclusion activities as a catalyst for social inclusion along with attitude and behavioral change.

Many special education students, special athletes, and unified partners from our school participated along with guests from neighboring districts: Moberly, Centralia, Wright City, Madison, and Monroe City. We would also like to offer a special "thank you" to our local business partners who participated or financially supported the activities!