Students from schools around Illinois have been using their voices to spread the word to end the use of the offensive R-Word (retard/retarded) among their fellow students and others.

Three schools – Schaumburg High School, Parkside Elementary School in Normal and Mt. Greenwood School in Chicago – were selected by Special Olympics Illinois to develop specific Spread the Word projects and events as part of a Special Olympics Project Unify grant. March 3 marks the second annual day of awareness to Spread the Word to End the Word. 

Schaumburg High School

At Schaumburg High School, teams from three leadership classes led by teacher Jessica Wienke, created marketing campaigns to Spread the Word at their school, and the winning idea was implemented the week of March 1.

The school kicked off its campaign on Monday, March 1, during the Illinois High School Association Regional basketball game against Grant High School. The game was dedicated to Special Olympics Illinois and both teams wore Spread the Word to End the Word T-shirts during warm-ups. In addition, there were computers set up around the facility so that fans could take the pledge at the R-Word website; fans were asked to wear red, white and blue to support Special Olympics; and there was an exhibition basketball game during half-time showcasing District 54 athletes.

In addition, Schaumburg students can sign their names to a heart and pledge to care about people with disabilities at a “Dare to Care” wall; students created a video featuring students with disabilities; students can sign a banner for the school that says “I Pledge to Start a New Trend – Respect”; students can participate in a Buddy Club at the school; and students will have the opportunity to see what it’s like to have a specific type of disability. See video about Schaumburg High School's participation in Spread the Word to End the Word.

Mt. Greenwood School

Mt. Greenwood School’s campaign, led by the PE teacher Peggy Carroll and seventh-graders, educated students and rallied support for the campaign at two school assemblies on Feb. 26 where students presented 1-minute skits, solicited R-Word pledges and heard from those most affected by use of the R-Word. Thomas Strack, a Special Olympics Illinois athlete and Global Messenger, addressed the students and told them how hurtful it is to be called retarded. Brook Klawitter, mother of 4-year-old Jack who is a Special Olympics Young Athlete, told the children how she and her husband initially worried Jack would be teased, but are pleased that he is outgoing and has friends. The Mt. Greenwood students also created a bulletin board featuring overlapping cut-out hands with the title “Think Before You Speak.”

Parkside Elementary School

Parkside Elementary School’s fifth-grade students, led by Adaptive PE Chair Kathleen O’Connell, kicked off their campaign with an assembly on Feb. 8 to educate their fellow students about how hurtful the R-Word can be and showed a video entitled “One.” The students are presenting daily creative public announcements about the R-Word from mid-February to mid-March, soliciting pledges and making posters. The effort will conclude with a one-hour school assembly on March 19 where Parkside students will explain the effect of the project on them.

The three schools also have their students involved in the Special Olympics Young Athletes Program for children ages 2-7, helping with training and the Young Athletes culminating events in their areas this spring.

Special Olympics Illinois surveyed students at all three schools about their attitudes toward people with disabilities prior to the start of the campaign and will survey them again after they have participated in the campaign to measure the change.

The Spread the Word to End the Word campaign is a youth-driven effort to educate peers about the harmful effects the words “retard” and “retarded” have on people with disabilities and those who care about them, and to eliminate the use of the words.