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Reflective Essay: My Experience At The Utah Special Olympics

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Reflective Essay: My Experience At The Utah Special Olympics
One of my most meaningful service opportunities was volunteering in the Utah Special Olympics last June. I spent the morning and early afternoon managing the Track and Field events of the Summer Games with friends and leaders from my church. This experience gave me a welcome change of perspective and an opportunity to focus on something greater than myself. On this day, I had the privilege of spending time with some of the kindest people I have ever met.
Part of what made this opportunity memorable came before I even arrived at Lone Peak High School, in the training meeting that preceded the games. A Special Olympics representative explained to us the proper conduct for associating with the athletes. She stressed the importance of being friendly and treating them like the talented athletes they are. Above all, she instructed us to avoid referring to them with any derogatory terms. This is something that is especially important to me. I strongly believe that all …show more content…
As I cheered my athletes on to the finish line, I loved seeing the joy in their faces as their years of preparation paid off. They were talented—not just talented considering their disabilities, but talented in general. Many possessed a positivity that I hope to emulate. It was clear from my experience at the Utah Special Olympics that while I was there to help these athletes, they did far more to help me. I strengthened my leadership skills as I solved problems. I did things I was uncomfortable with. Above all, I loved watching two friends and competitors, whom I am with in an attached photo, encourage each other before they raced. As I noticed their camaraderie, I had the impression that we should all come together, despite our differences, to cheer each other on. This is the feeling that I took with me when I left the games, and it has stayed with me over six months
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