Special Olympics Coming to Fort Collins in May — Local High School Students Stand Up to Help

There are few things in this world that will just genuinely make you smile all the way from your toes, the Special Olympics in May is one of those things. And this year the number of local high school students signed up to help is amazing.

The Poudre/Thompson track meet for the Special Olympics is coming May 8, 2015. It will be held at Fossil Ridge High School, the organizing school, with opening ceremonies beginning at 9 a.m.

It's actually the Fifth Annual event for middle and high school students in both districts.

The all-day event is one that is looked forward to all year. The teachers, participants and peers rally together to create a fun and exciting day for all.

This year marks a bumper year, if you will, for Rocky Mountain High School. Rocky has about 20 athletes who will go and participant in the event and over 30 peers have signed up to help and cheer them on. Mrs. Amy McLean, from Rocky tells us that this is a great increase in participation numbers, especially for peer helpers. Some whisper that the legacy left behind from former student Ashley Fischer, who died in a car accident with her brother and fellow Lobo in June of 2012, carries a great force, as she was a huge advocate for those with special needs at Rocky and beyond.

Ashley Fischer won the Award of Excellence in her works with her special needs classmates the year she died, an award that now bears her name. The Ashley Fischer award is handing out each year to students that show initiative, care and excellence in supporting the overall lives of their special needs classmates.

The Special Olympics event will take place at Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins on May 8, 2015 beginning at 9 a.m.