After learning about Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of Special Olympics, during our Women’s History Month presentation, our US students had the opportunity to carry on her legacy of including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community. CSN hosted the All-Star Basketball Game for the STARability Foundation, a local organization that also helps in this cause. Thanks to the leadership of the students in CSN’s Club Unified, all US students made signs in their advisories for the STARability athletes and cheerleaders participating in the event. Some of the athletes also spend part of their summers on our campus participating in Camp Shriver.

Nearly 100 US students came to cheer on the STARability athletes as they wowed us with their skills and made us smile with their friendship. Both faculty and other SWFL community members came to the game, and all reported that our students’ enthusiastic support of the athletes and great behavior helped make this event the most successful it has ever been. One community member, who has been involved in events like this for many years, even commented that this was the best group of student fans he had ever seen. It is through events like these that CSN is living up to its mission of creating responsible global citizens. CSN is proud to support organizations like Special Olympics and STARability, and we know that the benefit of these programs is felt just as much, if not more so, by those without special needs who are working to make the world a better place.

The photo gallery from the game can be viewed here.