Medina Valley ISD Special Olympics Keeps Building a Tradition of Inclusion, Pride and Community
When students from across Medina Valley ISD gathered again this spring for the district’s Special Olympics, the moment carried more meaning than a single afternoon of races and activities. For the Castroville-area district, the event has become a visible expression of what inclusion looks like in practice: students from different campuses coming together, families filling the stands, and athletes being recognized not for limitations, but for determination, sportsmanship and school pride.
That is also very much in line with the larger history of Special Olympics. The movement traces its roots to Camp Shriver in the early 1960s and has been changing “lives and attitudes” since 1968, growing from a backyard summer camp into a global sports movement for people with intellectual disabilities. Today, Special Olympics says it supports more than 5 million athletes, Unified partners, coaches and volunteers, with 32 Olympic-type sports and a broader mission that extends beyond competition into health, leadership and school inclusion.
In Texas, that mission is grounded in year-round training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, with an emphasis on physical fitness, courage, joy and friendship with families and the wider community. The public-facing part is the race, the relay or the medal. But the deeper value is often what families see before the first event even begins: confidence, anticipation, routine and a sense that their child has a place on the field and in the life of the school community.
That sense of belonging comes through clearly in Medina Valley ISD’s own coverage over the years. In 2023, assistant director of special programs Nicole Brooks said, “It’s important to bring inclusivity and to make sure that everybody knows that all students deserve a chance.” She added, “All students deserve to participate and all students are general education first.” A year later, Brooks described the event as a platform for students “to show off their skills and their talents” and said it gives them “an opportunity to be just like all the other kids.” For a fast-growing district like Medina Valley ISD, those words help explain why the Special Olympics matters not just as programming, but as a reflection of district culture.
The athletes and families tell that story just as powerfully. In 2023, Marilyn Mann said her son Patricio’s experience in Special Olympics was “such a great experience that I will always treasure,” calling it “a building block for them to know what they can experience and be part of as they’re moving along in school.” She later added, “This prepares them … knowing that they can just do so much and there’s no boundaries. There really isn’t.” In 2024, Veronica Garcia recalled that her son Manny woke up saying, “Special Olympics, Special Olympics,” a simple moment that captured how deeply the day matters to participants and their families.
That is part of why these district events tend to resonate well beyond special education programs. They invite classmates, staff and parents to see students in a different light: as competitors, teammates and school representatives. They also create continuity. Medina Valley ISD described 2022 as its inaugural district Special Olympics, reported that more than 120 students from all district schools participated in 2023, and said more than 130 students filled the field in 2024. Some qualifying athletes also had the opportunity to move on to area and state competition, giving the district event both local meaning and a pathway to something even bigger.
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For Medina Valley ISD, that continuity matters. Traditions shape how communities see themselves, and this is one that sends a clear message about who belongs. Teacher and organizer John Jaquez put it plainly in 2023 when he said, “We’re taking steps for other districts and the community to see our kids shine.” In a community like Medina Valley, where school events often serve as community gathering points, the Special Olympics does more than celebrate student achievement. It reminds families, educators and neighbors that inclusion is not an abstract goal. It is something built year by year, race by race, with students at the center.
And that may be the most important part of the Medina Valley ISD Special Olympics story. It is not simply about who wins an event. It is about who gets the chance to be introduced, encouraged, applauded and remembered. In that sense, the Special Olympics is doing exactly what it was designed to do decades ago: creating space for athletes to grow in confidence while helping schools and communities grow in understanding. For Medina Valley ISD and the families it serves, that makes the event more than a day on the calendar. It makes it part of the district’s identity.
Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more Medina Valley ISD and Castroville-area updates.
Johnny Krenek has been connected to community news since childhood, growing up alongside the family business his parents founded—Krenek Printing. Today, he serves as Vice President and lead developer for My Neighborhood News, where he drives the digital experience and supports the team across a variety of technical and operational roles. He is passionate about building tools that help connect neighbors and strengthen communities.