Sinai is an artistic, charming, and loving young man. He is currently 15 years old and attends school as a sophomore at a high school in Tracy, California. He is very outgoing and is well-known for his joyful and sociable personality. Sinai loves to rap, sing, dance, and perform various martial arts acts. He enjoys re-enacting popular Tik-Tok dances and making new videos for his Tik-Tok and YouTube. Sinai’s favorite people include his dog, Coco, his parents, siblings, niece, and his teachers and friends at school. He also enjoys spending time in the community, going shopping, and out to eat at different restaurants.
From runway modeling, to painting, community activism and being an ambassador for the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas, being a Special Olympics athlete, and acting in commercials, Ronnie has championed against all odds! He successfully launched The Fry Guy, and for two years he has been sharing his infectious laugh while serving up delicious French fries. His resilience pushed him through losing the person who helped him the most, his mother, to cancer when he was just 16. Ronnie plans to have several food trucks that employ those with disabilities, helping further his mission of creating a life of inclusion while transcending barriers that have historically kept us divided.
Clarissa is an intelligent freshman at Cherry Creek High School. She loves to learn, hang out with friends, and push her own boundaries. Clarissa loves everyone equally. Clarissa also has a close and loving relationship with her 2 older brothers. Yes, she is the youngest and the only girl, so she might be a bit spoiled. Aside from school, Clarissa excels at swimming and will be trying out for the Cherry Creek swim team this year. Clarissa has been training hard in the gym to make herself stronger and more competitive. She also loves reading, shopping, dancing, and modeling. Clarissa is a proud GLOBAL Ambassador.
Will is social and athletic 14-year-old young man who doesn’t let Down syndrome slow him down. He participates in his neighborhood swim team, runs track and cross country, plays unified basketball, and is a force to be reckoned with on the golf course. He enjoys Star Wars and history and is probably able to reenact most of the musical, “Hamilton.” While in elementary school, he was known as the “mayor” and can’t wait to take his social and affable nature with him to high school, where he will be a freshman in August.
Born with Down syndrome, David Egan is an eager advocate for people with intellectual disabilities and a leader at the local, national, and international level. David has always dreamed big. When he was eight years old, he started out as a Special Olympics swimmer and dreamed about winning competitive races. In his adolescent years, his dreams grew beyond sports. He aspired to have a job and find ways to change attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities. David achieved his dreams and along the way inspired others to live theirs. Read More…
Taylor is from a small suburb of Los Angeles named Hidden Hills. Tay is a confident 6th grader who loves to go to school and hang out with her friends. Our Calabasas community knows her and looks forward to all her hugs, high fives, and always giving the peace sign! She has an immense love for animals and looks forward to riding horses weekly. She is passionate about dance and gymnastics and just had her first hip-hop recital! Taylor aspires to be a model or dancer. Taylor loves to rock out to Katy Perry or Pink! She is the life of the party and one to reckon with.
As he starts his second quarter of a century, Timothy Frazier continues to leave an indelible mark on this world, at least in Wonderful Wyoming! Timmy lives in his own home with college roommates and transports himself to three jobs on his amazing Segway – on social media and the streets of Laramie, many know him as “SEGMAN.” He loves movies, bike rides, Bible studies, and competing in the Special Olympics (most notably in weightlifting, track, swimming, and cross-country skiing). Timmy engages vibrantly with the life of his community, of his faith, and of his family. He is a cool Wyoming dude!
Zack is an actor and dancer living in Florida. Zack’s talent, passion, motivation, and perseverance have been the impetus for building his expanding performing arts career. Zack has won many awards, including the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award from GLOBAL, on top of many others! Zack is best known for his lead role in “The Peanut Butter Falcon.” Most recently he was in the short film “At Last” (on HBO Max), the music video by Delta Spirit, “What’s Done is Done,” and the soon to be released feature film “God Save the Queens.” Zack enjoys spending time with his friends, bowling, watching wrestling, listening to music, dancing, and spending time with his 3 dogs.
Alexandra “Sasha” Jakuba is an amazing 12-year-old who loves to travel, sing, dance, listen to music, watch movies, and hang out with friends. There is never a dull moment around Sasha. She brightens any room with her feisty attitude, smile, and zest for life. Sasha’s top favorite things are the Starbuck’s pink drink, ice cream, and the iPad. She finds a way to be sneaky and loves to read everyone’s text messages! When she grows up, she wants to be a DJ or comedian! Her disability does not limit her ability to have great connections!
Alex Lee is the self-proclaimed “coolest guy other than Cristiano Ronaldo to walk the earth.” His boisterous sense of confidence and fancy title come from the effects of being 100% included since preschool. This math whiz has received honor roll every marking period in middle school, proudly joined National Junior Honor Society, and given keynote speeches on the importance of full inclusion on national stages. At age 14, he already has an impressive resume that includes modeling for Toys ‘R’ Us, doing his own comedy show, singing opera in Italian on various stages, and speaking at the UN Headquarters in NYC.
Olivia is defining herself through her magnetic personality, her compassion for others, and her quick wit. She starts every day hip-hop dancing (she’s a Swiftie), is a devout foodie and budding chef, and happens to give the best hugs – sometimes when you least expect one. A Denver native, Olivia seeks adventure on the mountain, in the water, underground, and in the air. Her big brother, Rees, and her dog, River, are at the center of her universe. Always inspiring others, Olivia lives life without limitations and encourages others to do the same.
Charlie Moylan was born in 2003 in Atlanta, Georgia. He lives with his two brothers, William and Harry, and parents, Liliana and Steve, in Lafayette, Colorado. He graduated from Centaurus High School in 2021. He now attends the Boulder Valley School District Transitions Program, which includes activities at the University of Colorado. Charlie enjoys various sports, especially basketball, playing video games, and is very active and popular on social media, where he posts videos to all his followers. His dream is to be a model and music star.
Maayan is 9 and attends 3rd grade in a fully-inclusive Denver public school. She has been participating in the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Ballet program for 4 years. She takes yoga and swimming classes and loves to try new slides at the playground and pool. Maayan loves to sing and dance and take photos of her loved ones. She learns Hebrew and English at home, and she knows the words to most every song she’s ever heard. Her favorite movies are Encanto, Moana, and Frozen and her favorite musicians are Kidz Bop and JoJo Siwa. She lives with her parents, siblings, and grandparents in Denver and loves getting together with her family in Israel too.
Makenna Plantz hails from the Buckeye state of Ohio! She was raised in Ohio and lived in Denver for many years. She enjoyed the mountains and sunshine vibe of Denver, but her Ohio roots called her home. Makenna enjoys tennis, basketball, soccer, swimming, dancing, gaming, singing, and watching her favorite YouTubers. She also enjoys her Zoom book club with her Colorado friends. An avid animal lover, she looks forward to walking her puppy, Caesar. Makenna’s smile can light up the dreariest of days and brings joy to all she is around.
Riza is a young and energetic 23-year-old who loves socializing and hanging out with her friends and cousins. She spreads laughter, cheerfulness, and happiness around with her genuine interactions. She loves her family and makes sure everyone around her is well taken care of. She is a very affectionate individual who inspires others to be beautiful just the way they are. She loves dancing and has participated in quite a few stage performances. Fashion, modelling, and theatre are her other areas of interest. She spends her time watching TV, listening to songs, and being with friends. She is a party goer and a big time foody, too.
Andrea “Andi” Rodriguez is a 43-year-old fraternal twin from Pueblo, Colorado. She is very kind, outgoing, and involved in her community. She was featured on numerous billboards throughout Southern Colorado advocating programs to help people with special needs find jobs. She currently assists in the Meals on Wheels Senior Program and volunteers her time with the PAWS Animal Shelter. In her spare time, Andi loves traveling with her family to Las Vegas, where she eats at her favorite restaurants and attends her favorite shows. She loves to color, dance, and watch any movie with her favorite actor/idol, Mark Ruffalo. Andi is a wonderful friend to all!
2016 GLOBAL Ambassador, Lou IV is 22 years old and from Omaha, Nebraska. He currently attends an adult day service work program where he enjoys daily outings, time with friends, working and volunteering in the community, and his absolute favorite part of the day is painting with their arts program. Lou can bust a move to any upbeat song, and likes to swim and travel! Family is everything to Lou, and Lou is everything to them.
Alex is 24 and resides in Denver, Colorado. She stays very busy with numerous camps and activities including dance, flag football, baseball, soccer, basketball, sit skiing, cheerleading, horseback riding, painting, and pottery. A memorable moment from this past year was playing basketball during halftime at a Denver Nuggets basketball game. She led the crowd with a drum roll on the big screen! Alex loves her dogs – Bruno and Stitch – and enjoys watching her sisters play lacrosse and cheering on the Denver Broncos. She participates in a weekly book club and is looking forward to attending a day program now that she has completed her post-high school transition program.
Walt is an 18-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska and a senior at Westside High, where he is fully included in classroom instruction. He runs track, swims, plays basketball and is part of the unified bowling team. He particularly loves being a “Sparkler” and cheering for his high school football and basketball games. His happy place is at Lake Okoboji, where he loves partaking in water sports and enjoys boating with family and friends. Walt is a staunch advocate for inclusion and he was thrilled to be GLOBAL’s 2020 Ambassador. His contributions to his community, his zest for life, and compassion for others make him beloved wherever he goes.
Raegan Wahlert exudes confidence and personality in any activity she is doing, whether this is perfecting a line dance, singing every lyric to one of her favorite songs, or riding her bike or her horse. Raegan is full of positivity and makes professions about herself like, “I’m awesome! I can do this! I can do ANYTHING!!” Raegan marvels and replicates the Egyptian pyramids by using magnetic tiles as she builds 4-6’ tall pyramid tops to her elaborate architectural designs. She doesn’t know a stranger, but rather introduces herself to everyone, by saying, “Nice to see you man; my name is Raegan Renee!”
Sophia is a happy and loving 10-year-old girl. She is passionate about everything she does, especially reading, swimming, cheerleading, horseback riding, and modeling. Her two older sisters adore her, and her love for them is endless. Sophia is well known at school for her empathy, big heart, and endless high fives. Sophia was a flyer for the Green Bay Elite Cheerleading Special Needs Team. She has modeled for the Soar Fox Cities Tea Party Show and for the Bay Park Square Back- to-School Fashion Show, in which she modeled for Carter’s. Sophia’s love for life is contagious, and her smile and caring heart make her loved by many.
Sarah is a delightful, outgoing 36-year-old, born and raised in Gallup, NM and now living in Albuquerque, NM. Sarah is an accomplished artist, known as the “bird lady” because of her amazing bird paintings, which she sells on her website. She is also a member of a mixed ability dance troupe. Sarah has been a global messenger for the Special Olympics NM and has represented SONM as a swimmer in the SO USA Games. She has an awesome butterfly stroke. Sarah volunteers for the Albuquerque Zoo and is employed at the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy. Sarah has a wonderful circle of friends and family and keeps in constant touch with all of them.
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