Discovering New Heights – University of Maryland Athletics

On day one of the tour, student-athletes and staff volunteered with the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte to make meaningful connections with campers. They attended Camp Holiday — a day camp for campers with Down syndrome, ages 5-21, in the area. Camp activities are based on weekly themes, including arts and crafts, water play, science experiments, literacy, and more. Maryland Made attended a Valentine’s Day-themed camp and rotated through different stations, which included an art activity, obstacle course, cooking lesson, and message-in-a-bottle activity. 

Before the trip, some of the student-athletes expressed feelings of anxiousness, so the Maryland Made staff decided to host a “Game Night” pre-work session to alleviate concerns. During the session, students engaged in a custom board game of life where they could learn more about the city of Charlotte, their peers and staff on the trip, and the resources available to them. The game also incorporated unexpected life events to keep students engaged. 

Students even partook in an activity where they were given a prompt that required them to speak about themselves, resulting in gaining confidence in public speaking. The last activity was led by Dr. Kris Oliveira, Director of the LGBTQ+ Equity Center on campus. He touched on identity and how everyone can reach their goals more efficiently and faster if they work together. Game night was a fun interaction between students and staff and laid a strong foundation for the days ahead, fostering teamwork, self-awareness, and personal growth among participants.

“I got to meet a lot of Maryland student-athletes who have the same goals and values as me and made a lot of new friends and connections,” said Anthony Bradley, a Maryland wrestling student-athlete. “I also met professionals who I plan on communicating with in the future for advice and maybe possible internships or career choices.”