Special Olympics Washington is an exhilarating hub of thousands of athletes and a plethora of team and individual sports and competitions. Over the years, many of these sports have gained sensational worldwide popularity, leaving spectators in awe. But amidst all the excitement, there’s one gem that deserves more spotlight and admiration: Unified Robotics!
Unified Robotics was established by Delaney Foster, a passionate advocate for the inclusion and empowerment of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), who found inspiration in her sister Kendall’s involvement in Special Olympics Unified Sports. It was then that Foster discovered an opportunity to further Special Olympics’ mission of championing inclusion by introducing it to the world of STEM.
In 2015, she made this goal a reality. Starting with her robotics teammates at Roosevelt High School, Foster introduced Unified Robotics as a program that allowed her team to work alongside students with IDD as they built and competed with their robots—and it quickly gained momentum. Just one year later, Foster officially partnered with Special Olympics Washington and committed to expanding the Unified Robotics program by bringing it to all high schools.
(Photo/Andrew LaPrade)
Today, Unified Robotics continues to make waves in the lives of so many high school students with IDD. By introducing STEM concepts in a respectful, inclusive, hands-on way, individuals with IDD are not only gaining valuable technical skills, but they are also gaining confidence in their experience and abilities.
In a world where it seems like new technological advancements are made every day, Unified Robotics’ mission to create inclusive, educational and empowering STEM opportunities for individuals with IDD is invaluable.
For more information on upcoming Unified Robotics competitions, please visit our Events page.
