Thirty Special Olympians from St. Bernard Parish competed at the Louisiana State Summer Special Olympics Games. In March, athletes competed at the district’s local competitions which qualified them to participate in the state games held at Southeastern Louisiana University on May 19-20, 2017.
The team received 53 awards which included 17 Gold Medals, 18 Silver Medals, 5 Bronze Medals, 11 – 4th place winners, and 2 – 5th place winners.
The St. Bernard Parish School System has proudly been participating in Special Olympics for decades, and this year it was recognized by the state of Louisiana as having a Special Olympics program of distinction.
Superintendent Doris Voitier spoke to the students, families, and the community at last week’s School Board Meeting where the Olympians were recognized by the School Board for their achievements.
Voitier said, “We value each and every child in this school district, and we are incredibly grateful to have the support of our community and local businesses to help us celebrate these wonderful students. Each year, our students who attend the state Special Olympics games represent our district with such pride, and we get nothing but praise for our Olympians’ sportsmanship, participation, and character.”
In partnership with the school district, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Department and St. Bernard Parish Government alongside local businesses and other local officials and agencies helped sponsor the program throughout the year.
Cheramie Kerth, Supervisor of Special Education for St. Bernard Parish Schools, thanked the community partners.
“Special Olympics is an important program for our students and our schools. We are so blessed to have the support of the entire community in helping us make these events possible,” she said.
