José is a 19-year-old from Maracaibo. He has been swimming since he was 5 years old, and works as an assistant coach for children with and without disabilities. José is passionate about researching everything related to sports for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Special Olympics has provided him with the opportunity to work not only as an athlete leader but also as an assistant coach. José participated in two virtual swimming competitions, producing excellent results. He is a part of the Unified Generation because José belongs to the group of young leaders with and without ID who promote inclusion in schools and communities. Special Olympics has granted José the opportunity to strengthen his athletic ability and also to prepare for life beyond athletics, reinforcing his knowledge and strengthening his values on a personal level, too.

Antonio is a 19-year-old from Caracas, Venezuela. Antonio studied elementary and high school education at the Instituto Cumbres de Caracas in Santa Paula. He is currently studying Production Engineering at the Universidad Metropolitana located in Caracas, Venezuela. Antonio participated in the Special Olympics World Games held in Abu Dhabi in 2019. He competed in Unified doubles, and along with his Unified partner, managed to earn a gold medal! This filled Antonio with great satisfaction and pride to be able to share that moment of victory with his Unified partner. Antonio is part of the Unified Generation because he identifies himself as a person who spreads the message of inclusion. Antonio participates in all of his endeavors with Special Olympics with great enthusiasm!
José and Antonio are passionate about health and wellness. They hope that through their project they will impart knowledge on these topics to youth with and without ID, allowing them to develop the skills necessary to live a healthier life.
Jose and Antonio, with a combination of virtual and in-person meetings, are going to work with nutritionists to educate parents about the importance of nutritious food for children’s physical and psychological development. While their parents are in the meetings, Jose and Antonio are going to implement activities with the children that teach healthy habits and good nutrition with the help of Young Athlete Volunteers!
Jose and Antonio were able to have a positive impact in both Instituto Latino and the FUNPARM association, where they were able to explain the importance of eating healthy and staying active! While Jose and Antonio were busy facilitating the sessions, they also learned more about dieting and the importance of eating healthily! They also loved helping the children learn the importance of eating healthily by leading them through activities. They feel they completely achieved their objectives because they were able to instruct their participants about the importance of exercise and a healthy diet.
This project taught Jose and Antonio important skills such as project management and the importance of planning. Initially, they struggled to coordinate a time/date that worked because they lived in different cities. The pair overcame this obstacle by adding the virtual role, and they didn’t have to be at the same place at the same time! They are very proud of the implementation and the skills they were able to teach. They plan to continue working to open more inclusive spaces!