May 2023 Special Needs Living Akron/Canton

NEVER KNOW WHAT’S COMING NEXT Just when you think life can’t get better…it does!

BY LARANDA ROBINSON

Last year I was going to Columbus, Ohio, to train for the USA Special Olympics and felt like life couldn’t get any better. But it did! I had an amazing time training and preparing for the event. When I got to Florida, things changed for me once again.

Every experience there had an impact on me. I learned that I could travel without my parents. That was scary! However, I had some comfort knowing they would be close by in Florida. I learned to adjust to others’ needs. My roommate and I are so different. She likes the room freezing; I like the room a little warmer. I had to learn to adjust to what the group wanted, even when I did not want to do what everyone agreed to. I learned how to lose. I had never lost a race before, so learning to lose did not feel good. But I realized it was okay, and the experience alone was worth it all.

I shall never forget walking out of the tunnel, waving, and seeing all these people cheering for the athletics. It was an amazing feeling and a dream of a lifetime! It opened my eyes to a new journey I wanted to explore. I am determined to have a track team where I coach and direct the team. My goal is to start with a unified relay team. Then grow into a group of children under the age of 13. I remember being young and feeling left out at school. It takes me longer to process things. I sometimes need things repeated or rearranged for me to understand. I want to help children with special needs by giving them something to do and feel proud of and something for their families to rejoice in as they grow.

Then I was given another opportunity to be the assistant coach for our cheerleading team. When Pam Davis (the formal Special Olympics Director) asked me to be an assistant coach, I thought this couldn’t get any better. But it did! Ms. Pam then asked me if I wanted to represent Summit County to go to Columbus to assist teachers and coaches in training people with disabilities for track and field. This is perfect, I thought! Not only do I get to help prepare our future coaches for my special needs community, but I will also have the opportunity to make connections. Again, an amazing opportunity. While in Columbus, I plan to visit the capital to meet with our State Representatives. I am planning to visit Washington, D.C., to meet our representative, as this has always been a dream of mine.

Then I won the Ohio Miss Amazing Sr. Miss Queen for 2023. This is a pageant for young girls and women with special needs to have a pageant where we can share our abilities. I will go to Chicago this summer to compete at Nationals. I am working very hard to win at Nationals.

Last but not least is this opportunity to be featured in a magazine! To see your picture and story in a fancy magazine is amazing!