High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

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Course Code

LDR

Course Number

2002

Faculty/Instructor

Dr. Haley Winston

Faculty/Instructor Email

haley@ucf.edu

About the Author

Our group has enjoyed working with the Special Olympics Florida, and are extremely grateful for the LEAD Scholars at UCF, for introducing us to this service learning project. Through the LEAD Scholars, a diverse and inclusive leadership program at the University of Central Florida, we have learned about types of leadership, leadership tactics, and even how to work in groups. Another is a staple in the LEAD course curriculum, as it is seven dimensions, or values, called the Seven C's of the Social Change Model. These include: Commitment, Congruence, Consciousness of Self, Controversy with civility, Common Purpose, Citizenship, and Collaboration... and is what guided our project.

Abstract, Summary, or Creative Statement

The Special Olympics is a nationwide organization that focuses on providing a safe environment for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In Florida, this organization provides many opportunities for us to get involved and is why we chose this organization. We admired their mission for positivity and inclusivity, and therefore jumped at the opportunity to get involved. Some of this involvement included attending the recreational sporting events, playing with the athletes, and contacting the staff that was involved. We learned through this service learning, that the Special Olympics Florida is a truly congruent organization, and shows that their espoused values align with their enacted values. We also provided some recommendations of ways to possibly improve the way the Special Olympics handles event planning. Overall, we loved this experience, and learned about leadership, teamwork, and community thanks to this organization!

Additional Resources

Acknowledgements: (including bothSpecial Olympics and UCF RWC managers)

Danielle Kent (daniellekent@sofl.org), Haley Robbins (haleyrobbins@sofl.org), Christian Ramirez (Christian.ramirez@ucf.edu), Jena Grgurich (jenagrgurich@sofl.org), and William Masafu (wwmsirengo@gmail.com)

Citations:

(LEAD Scholars textbook)

Komives, S. R., & Wagner, W. (2017). Leadership for a Better World: Understanding the social change model of leadership development (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

(Special Olympics)

Region area county map. Special Olympics Florida. (n.d.). https://www.specialolympicsflorida.org/map

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords

disabilities, disability, sports, community, Special Olympics, Florida, leadership, teamwork

Leadership Through The Special Olympics Florida


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