Thousands gather outside State House for 10th annual Special Olympics rally

The rally celebrates how more schools have given kids of all abilities a chance to succeed

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Thousands of athletes celebrated togetherness at the tenth annual Special Olympics South Carolina State House Rally.

Throughout the morning Tuesday, students spoke about how including peers with intellectual disabilities in athletic activities improves their academic experience.

According to Special Olympics South Carolina, three hundred schools across the state have begun Unified Sports programs over the past ten years.

“We’ve got many, many more potential athletes out there that we need to reach, and we’re hoping that this generation is really going to be the one that does that. By having peers with and without disabilities coming together, that creates whole communities of support for our population,” said Barbara Oswald, the Vice President of Programs for Special Olympics South Carolina.

Nearly twenty schools across the state, including several in Lexington and West Columbia, have received national recognition from Special Olympics for promoting inclusiveness and togetherness among their students.