EMS team advocates for Special Olympics in Washington, D.C.

Two Emporia Middle School students and a teacher were among a delegation in Washington, D.C., last week advocating for continued support of Special Olympics.

Students Cayenne Ast and Shelby Reiber accompanied EMS teacher Barbara Clark to the nation’s capital to lobby in support of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act of 2010. They traveled with Chris Hahn, president and CEO of Kansas Special Olympics.

Ast, Reiber and Clark joined representatives from 43 Special Olympics and Best Buddies programs across the country on Capitol Hill for a day of meetings Jan. 27. International recording star Joe Jonas from the Jonas Brothers and 10-time Olympic Gold Medalist Carl Lewis joined the Special Olympic athletes and Project Unify students plus the Best Buddies students.

“They were all showing their tremendous support for these important movements promoting unity, friendship, and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities,” Clark said. “We talked to Congressman Todd Tiahrt and Dennis Moore. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran were not available to talk so we met with their staff about the proposed act.”

Meeting one of the members of the Jonas Brothers band was a highlight for the two students, she said.

“The Emporia community should be proud of these two girls because they talked about the campaign our school does to Spread the Word to End the Word.”

Clark received a grant from Kansas Special Olympics to start Project Unify at the middle school last year. Ast has been involved in the group which has spearheaded the Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign. The idea is to stop children and adults from using the word “retarded.” Ast also has incorporated the campaign into a 4-H project, Clark said.

The students told the Congressmen and their staffs about the Spread the Word Campaign and passed out wrist bands with the inscription “Be a Fan of Acceptance. Dignity. Friendship. Special Olympics.”