Ninety-six students from the Washington Center in Greenville recently visited Bob Jones University for a day of fun physical activities and friendly competition.
The 31st annual Washington Center Challenge Day took place on Oct. 2, held in partnership with Special Olympics Greenville and Greenville County Parks, Recreation and Tourism. This year’s Special Olympics event was the largest to date.
The Washington Center serves students ages three to 21 with unique and complex disabilities in Greenville County. Principal Emily Cook said the students and families look forward to the Washington Center Challenge Day each year.
Each Washington Center athlete was paired with students from Bob Jones University to complete a series of adaptive physical activities testing different motor skills. Activities included modified soccer, bowling, shuffleboard, darts and more. The students practiced these activities in the weeks leading up to the Special Olympics event.
“This is their showcase,” said Sean O’Laughlin, adaptive physical education teacher at the Washington Center. “They get to show their peers and their parents what they’ve been learning and how they can participate in all the games that we have.”
More than 200 students from Bob Jones University’s School of Education and Human Services and other programs volunteered for the Washington Center Challenge Day. Brian Carruthers, dean of the School of Education and Human Services, said he enjoys to see how the university students come alongside and support the athletes during the annual event.
The Washington Center Challenge Day kicked off with a special parade celebrating the athletes and an opening ceremony. In addition to the physical activities, the event also featured a carnival area with a bounce house, games, prizes, face-painting and music. Every Washington Center athlete left with a Special Olympics gold medal.
