Transformative training: Special education school preps students for the Olympics, life
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Loading... - Haoran Wang
- 09 Jun 2022
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Peng Xinyue is a 19-year-old girl who was diagnosed with moderate intellectual disability. She enjoys floorball, running and swimming, and has won some 40 gold medals at the Special Olympic Games.
Once introverted and bad-tempered, Peng has changed a lot during the six years she trained for the Special Olympics at the Qingyang District Special Education School in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. She learned Chinese tea culture and other vocational skills. Her family said they've noticed positive changes.
Her father, Peng Gang, told CGTN that her daughter expressed her willingness to be a waitress in the future to support herself. The father was very moved by that. The family went through a very dark time, and now they believe the girl has no problem living in the community.
Founded in 1968, the Special Olympics is an international sports competition for children and adults with disabilities. The training the students receive at the school helps to improve their physical health and strengthen their ability to follow instructions and master social skills for their future integration into society.
Wang Tianxi is a first-grader at the school. He is autistic and must attend classes with his grandmother. He also enjoys exercising with college volunteers during the weekend. After years of tailored training, most of the children at the school are eventually able to attend classes without their guardians.
Wang's grandmother is very grateful that he has access to school and the training sessions. She said he has changed a lot, especially on the emotional level, since he started attending Special Olympics training. Wang is now able to recite lyrics and write them down with help.
Every weekend, volunteers go to the school to help the children to exercise. Dong Ruixue, a sophomore, has been volunteering there for more than a year. She told CGTN that before volunteering, she didn't know much about people with disabilities, but now she found that they are just a little different from everyone else.
"They aren't to be pitied but loved," Dong said. Read More...
