Coatesville, PA – On Friday, May 13, the Chester County Special Olympics took place at Coatesville Area Senior High School in Coatesville, PA. Primarily hosted by the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), the event brought together students, families, volunteers and sponsors from across the county for a day of exciting competition.

Over 1,200 student-athletes from both public and non-public schools in Chester County registered for the games, which were last hosted in 2019. The day kicked off with an opening ceremony that included performances from parents, cheerleaders and local performers who successfully hyped up the crowd for the events. Students had a wonderful time competing with their peers and enjoyed a day focused on fun and games.

Debbie Phillips, CCIU health and education teacher and the lead organizer for the event, was thrilled with the turnout. Phillips stated, “We always want to give the students the opportunity to experience something like this. We just want everyone to leave feeling successful. That’s our goal.”

To ensure that the event ran smoothly, Technical College High School's (TCHS) students were on hand to assist with technology and security. Students from the criminal justice and police sciences program provided security for the event, including parking assistance and crowd monitoring. Additionally, CCIU information technology staff livestreamed the event for those who were unable to attend.

The efforts of the many organizations involved did not go unnoticed. This year’s event was supported by over 200 volunteers and dozens of sponsors who helped put the event together. Phillips shared, “We have amazing sponsors and volunteers in our county. They are so generous.”