Group photo of the first Special Olympics Club meeting in December, 2022. Photo by Joanna Paris.
In December of 2022 the first Partners Club event with UAA , sponsored by Special Olympics, was held at Center Bowl bowling alley. The club provides ADA accessible events and currently has 25 active members – they’re also open to all UAA students.
The goals of the club are to build a community for the members to have social and recreational opportunities.
Special Olympics personnel Joanna Paris said the club was created with the Adult Community Transition Program. The Adult Community Transition Program is not a part of UAA, but it is a branch of the Anchorage School District. The program is meant to help students in post-secondary education maintain social skills, vocational connections and build a community after their education while also being able to live independently.
A physical education teacher, Charlie Schultz, is a part of the Adult Community Transition Program and was the first to push for the club to begin. Paris said students who graduated high school were looking for community in college at UAA, creating a bigger need than before for the club.
Numerous members of the Adult Community Transition Program are now attending UAA, so the Special Olympics found it necessary to begin their club. Paris said that UAA has been in support of the club since it began.
The club is currently funded by the Special Olympics and various grants. With volunteering and fundraising throughout next year, club leaders hope to be self-sufficient like most other UAA clubs.
The Partners Club wants to be sustainable and create an ongoing inclusive community for their members while at UAA and after their education. Paris said, “we really want this club to last,” when speaking about the goals of the club.
There were two Partners Club events this year: the first was bowling in December and the second was a skiing event held in March. The club plans to have one event a semester with the possibility for more.
The next event will be around the beginning of the fall semester. It is going to be a kickoff for the club and school year.
The Partners Club is hoping to gain new members this upcoming school year.
Volunteers to help with the club are wanted as well. The Special Olympic personnel that run the club are open to anyone eager to get involved.
The Special Olympics has multiple events all year. They have just finished their 2023 Summer games over the weekend of June 9- 11.
They are also hosting a camp in July, a dance in August, the Polar Plunge in December, and more events during the school year. The Partners Club would like to be able to have their own Polar Plunge team represented this winter.
For those who want to join, more information can be found on the Special Olympics website:
https://specialolympicsalaska.org/programs/unified-champion-school/
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