Through sport, Special Olympics empowers people with intellectual disabilities to achieve joy, acceptance and success. As our athletes grow many seek new challenges, and new ways to share the experiences and the lessons they've learned.

Special Olympics Athlete Leadership Programs (ALPs) allow athletes to explore opportunities for greater participation in our movement beyond sports training and competition. Through ALPs athletes become the organization's best advocates as spokespeople and Board and committee members. Through this global program athletes receive training, sometimes on their own and other times with the support of a mentor.  

Last month Special Olympics unveiled its new training model called ALPs University, and offered the first of two trainings this year. Athletes, mentors and Special Olympics staff from across New England including 19 from New Hampshire attended the event at the Yawkey Sports Training Center in Massachusetts.

Athletes were able to pick among courses that focused on becoming Global Messengers, Fundraising, Sports, Technology, Healthy Lifestyles and every athlete learned about Special Olympics boards, committees and input councils through a Governance course.

SONH volunteers, Cathy Williams and Bob Lister were selected to lead the athletes in the Global Messenger training, thank you to them for teaching new skills to athletes from around New England.

These leadership roles taught through ALPs give athletes a voice in shaping the Special Olympics movement, and a chance to spread the word about the remarkable transformations Special Olympics can bring about in individuals and families. Athlete Leadership Programs also provide a way for athletes to showcase talents and interests that may have gone unnoticed.

Athletes and mentors from SONH at the Northeast ALPs University included, Kate Messler, Tricia Messler, Benjamin Soule, Don Soule, Samantha Savage, Terry Savage, Chris By, Sue By, Martha Boddy, Amanda Coviello, Scott McCullough, Marcia Gardner, and Nathan Torrey. .