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Jane Lynch to cheer on Special Olympic athletes

By WTOP Staff

MELISSA MURPHY
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The Cheerios coach from “Glee” is leading the rally for Special Olympians.

Jane Lynch will attend the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics USA Games on Sunday — possibly with her signature tracksuit and bullhorn — whipping up the expected crowd of 18,000 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Her character Sue Sylvester on Fox’s “Glee” is a cheerleading coach who encourages a girl with Down syndrome to participate with the cheer squad. Sylvester’s sister and baby on the show also have Down syndrome.

“I’ve gotten to know people who have developmental disabilities and their wonderful families since being on Glee,” Lynch said of actress Lauren Potter, who has Down syndrome, and plays her closest friend on the show. “The folks in the community of support for people with developmental disabilities are so awesome and heart-centered.

“Lauren is a huge bright light. She’s very focused and professional and yet loves to have fun and goof around.”

Six Special Olympians started the torch run this week in Manhattan, and the “Flame of Hope” will arrive for the lighting of the cauldron at the opening ceremony on Father’s Day.

“All the fathers at the Prudential Center will have a tear in their eye,” said T.J. Nelligan, official chairman of the Special Olympics USA Games. “You really don’t see the disability. You see what they can do and can achieve.”

The opening ceremony, with a theme of inclusion, will be hosted by model and actress Brooklyn Decker and Philadelphia 76ers guard Michael Carter-Williams. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, the honorary chair of the event, is expected to attend.

Some 3,500 athletes from 50 states are arriving in New Jersey for the weeklong event, and Cessna donated the use of planes to fly in 800 athletes and deliver their luggage to campuses at Rider and The College of New Jersey.

They’ll participate in 16 sports, competing at Princeton and other college venues. Triathlon and baseball have been added to the program, and a youth summit will highlight acceptance and inclusion at schools.

Nelligan, whose 24-year-old son Sean has intellectual and developmental disabilities, helped convince corporations to pledge $20 million and land the games in 2011. The numerous sponsors increased the budget from $8 million at past games. He compared the event with the recent Super Bowl held in nearby East Rutherford.

“In all the meetings, not a single person told us no, just what level they’d be involved,” said Nelligan, a sports marketing executive. “(It) shows it’s as meaningful and maybe more inspiring than the little game they had there in February.”

Sean seemed fine until he started having seizures at 6 months and didn’t talk. He’s been involved in the Special Olympics New Jersey Games for 13 years, playing basketball, soccer and bocce. He holds a job at his dad’s restaurant and is “the happiest person you’ve ever met.”

“He gets to go to the games in his home state with all his friends,” Nelligan said. “Twelve years ago, he didn’t have any friends and went to a special needs school. He’s built so much confidence.”

About 15 percent of children ages 3 through 17 have a developmental disability in the U.S., according to research quoted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Those disabilities can involve difficulties in learning, language or behavior. The international Special Olympics were founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, whose sister Rosemary had an intellectual disability.

The Special Olympics USA Games is an offshoot for American athletes that began in 2006. The international version will be held in Los Angeles in 2015.

Promotion and marketing of the 2014 games has included traditional methods and social media.

Special Olympian Michael Reed has been featured on commemorative Wheaties boxes. The 26-year-old basketball player from Somerset, New Jersey, won gold at the 2010 Special Olympics USA Games in Lincoln, Nebraska. Another 10 athletes are shown on back of the boxes sold in ShopRite stores in the state.

Derek Jeter helped spread the word about the games with a PSA on the YES Network, which promoted the event during New York Yankees games. Fox showed the torch run, while WWE created a promotional video with John Cena and enlisted its personalities to retweet about the games and mention it on Facebook and Instagram. The opening ceremony will be streamed live on 2014SpecialOlympics.org.

“We’re getting our message outside the special Olympics bubble,” said Rachel Gary, communications director for the games. “So many people are aware.”

Among the founding partners for the games is Barnabas Health, which signed up 1,200 volunteers and will conduct wellness education through the “As the Doc” program. Other partners include Toys “R” Us, New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, PSE&G, Prudential, HESS and KPMG.

The Unified Sports Festival on Friday is open to athletes and the community in Ewing, New Jersey, with participation from WWE stars and members of NFL’s Play 60/Punt, Pass & Kick programs.

The closing ceremony on June 20 will focus on the theme of friendship at Sun National Bank Center in Trenton. A “Celebrating Champions” wrap-up show will air at 7 p.m. June 30 on Fox Sports 1.

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Online: www.2014SpecialOlympics.org

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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