Everyone’s a winner

Students
compete in
Special Olympics

By Suzanne Le Breton
St. Tammany News
Published on Thursday, March 11, 2010 9:08 PM CST

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Celeste Agresta was ecstatic as physical therapist Barbara Rousel pinned a bright red second place ribbon on her shirt last Friday at the St. Tammany Parish Special Olympics.

The Covington High School student had just finished running in one of the track events against some of her classmates.

To an outside eye, the Fontainebleau football field looked like the setting of an average track meeting. Parents in the stands, coaches barking out words of encouragement, kids runs in heats, throwing balls, jumping, cheering on their teammates…but for everyone involved, this was so much more.

(Use arrows above to view more photos)

Just look at Devon Murray’s face as he jumped into his mother’s arms after throwing a softball across the football field. Did the ball go all the way across? No. Did he win the competition? No. Did he do his best? Yes. Will he get a ribbon? Yes. Was he proud? You better believe it!

Students from around the parish practice year around in their adaptive physical education classes for the annual competition. But there is very little competition at the event.

Everyone walks away a winner. By the end of the day their T-shirts are covered in multi-colored ribbons and their faces are covered in smiles.

But it wasn’t just each other and parents cheering on participants. The Fontainebleau High School cheerleaders and other student volunteers were on there, cheering on the athletes, giving high fives, hugs and passing out compliments and words of encouragement, urging the other students to do there best, have fun, run fast, jump far and throw hard.

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