On Jan. 11 during Student Resource Time, the Special Olympics will be giving the entire student body a presentation on the Champions Together Program. The goal of this is to get high school students connected with other students that have intellectual disabilities and create friendships with each other.

“The Champions Together School Assembly is sponsored by the IHSAA and Special Olympics Indiana. The as- sembly helps promote awareness, ac- ceptance, respect, anti-bullying and inclusion of all persons with intellectual disabilities,” said Ms. Brandi Krolak, athletic director.

Krolak hopes that this presentation will help students fight bullying and teach Noll’s athletes, in particular, to respect other people and have awareness to when bullying occurs.

Noll’s athletic council rst heard about this program at an IHSAA meeting last month. “One of the programs discussed was the Unified Champion Schools Award Banner Program. The students thought this would be a great opportunity to be involved with since we do not service this particular area of students,” Krolak said.

This program will show students what it is like to work with people with intellectual disabilities, it will help build strong friendships and relationships, and even inspire some students to continue with this work to help these students and athletes. This will be the first of several conjoined efforts with the Special Olympics.

“We are hoping to host at least one or two events. We are planning to team up with Special Olympics Indiana and some surrounding schools to hold a Unified (Indoor) Track Meet in March,” Krolaksaid.

In Unified Track, an athlete is paired with another athlete with intellectual disabilities and they compete in the the events together.

Krolak and the student athletic council hope to continue working with this organization and maybe even expand these events to other sports and as being a part of BNI.

“We are taught to love and serve on another and this allows us to do that in a fun way and caring environment,” Krolak said.