What's your name?
Shannon Marie Delmar
What city are you from?
Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
The Y has helped me train for the Olympics by having a Special Olympics practice program
that kids can practice for the competition.
When I first started, I just a little bit like nervousness,
and it was kind of hard to do things that I couldn't do.
Shannon was born very premature, at 24 weeks. She was 1 pound 9 ounces at birth.
She was in the NICU of the hospital for 78 days before being permitted to come home.
We decided to enroll Shannon in the Y because she had been
receiving therapy services from the time she came home
from early intervention to the intermediate unit to to private therapy,
and they suggested that it might be beneficial
for her to enroll in some extra-curricular activities that would target
strengthening - general strengthening - as well as building up her core.
Miss Jeanine is my swimming teacher.
When Shannon first started with me, she would not get in the pool .
I would like scream and cry at the beginning of class.
We had to take baby steps to introduce her to the water.
We started with a lot of very simple tasks with equipment.
So she helped me not be afraid of the water when I first got in.
It's amazing to see her growth.
This is a kid who now says, "I don't need help getting on my back".
And now I can do everything by myself.
Miss Jolene is my gymnastics teacher. She helps me learn how to catch on a bar and go on a higher beam by myself.
She helps me with my floor routine.
Watching the kids in our ability programming,
children of all ages
being able to master the simple skill and seeing
the smile on their faces, which is just most important. We see that every day
in the gymnastics center at our Y.
The Y staff helped me gain my confidence in myself
and other kids.
I have really great friends named Chloe and Emma.
They help me on my gymnastics practice,
and they helped me win six medals.
This year in particular, given the opportunity to compete
in the Special Olympics gymnastics program has just
lit a spark
and her confidence has just really soared in competition
and it has just continue to do so each and every day since.
I feel happy that I won medals, but sad that the Olympics is over.
I'm really proud of the Hatboro Area YMCA
That there are young children that need help, and
they're there to help them. And I'm very proud.
The most important goal that I set out to accomplish is to be the best gymnast that I can be and
and work as hard as I can work.
How did you accomplish this goal?
I accomplished this goal by never giving up and perservering