Florida Special Olympics athlete Robert Cooper (32) gives a high-five to teammate Silyvins Fleurmont as head coach Laurie Chmielewski makes a substitution during a game against former players from Lincoln high schoosl at Lincoln Southeast High School on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (GWYNETH ROBERTS / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - basketball
Special Olympics athlete Larry Andre (41), from Florida, puts up a shot over the defense of Jordan Herstein during a game at Lincoln Southeast High School on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (GWYNETH ROBERTS / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - basketball
Ross Reynolds (left) congratulates Team Florida Special Olympics basketball players on their victory as teammate Will Hertzler receives a hug from Florida athlete Shannon Taylor at Lincoln Southeast High School on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (GWYNETH ROBERTS / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - basketball
Florida Special Olympics men's basketball head coach Laurie Chmielewski (center) gives instructions to the team during a timeout in a game against former players from Lincoln high schools at Lincoln Southeast High School on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (GWYNETH ROBERTS / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - basketball
Only two players occupy the bench of the Team Florida Special Olympics basketball team during a game against former players from Lincoln high schools at Lincoln Southeast High School on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (GWYNETH ROBERTS / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - basketball
Brad Hilligoss (left) plays defense against team Florida athlete Jeremiah Bennett (3) during a Special Olympics game against former players from Lincoln high schools at Lincoln Southeast High School on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (GWYNETH ROBERTS / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - track
Special Olympics track athlete Amanda Gump of Ohio admires her medals in the Abel Hall computer lab on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (DANIELLE BEEBE / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - track
Isabela Elliot watches the Special Olympics track events with her granddaughter, Brianna Markitt, at the Ed Weir Track on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (DANIELLE BEEBE / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - health
Michigan's Trevor Taylor brushes the teeth of a doll used to demonstrate how to correctly brush teeth inside the dental education booth. The health screenings have drawn more than 1,200 athletes in the first three days of offering exams. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - health
Special Olympics' athlete Alesha Channel tests out a few pairs of glasses as she picks out the new frames on Wednesday inside the Pershing Center. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - health
South Carolina's Darryl Malone has a hearing aid fitted by Amanda Baum inside the Pershing Center on Wednesday. One of the six health screenings provided, the healthy hearing section fitted more than 30 hearing aids during the first three days. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - volleyball
A dentistry area provides full dental care for the Special Olympics' athletes at the Pershing Center on Wednesday. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Patrick Breen
Special Olympics - volleyball
Matt Price gets pumped up before a Special Olympics volleyball game at the Abbott Sports Complex on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (TRAVIS BECK / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Travis Beck
Special Olympics
Kentucky's Anne Locke said she was prepared for Thursday's events, including her team relay race. (PATRICK BREEN / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics -- basketball
Special Olympics athlete Michele Adler shoots hoops for fun on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (PATRICK BREEN / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics -- basketball
Illinois' Leslie Gasser sings along to her Coyote Ugly CD inside a bus on the way to Lincoln Southeast High School on Thursday, July 22, 2010. Gasser said she was looking forward to playing basketball with her team. (PATRICK BREEN / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics -- basketball
Signatures cover a banner inside the Pershing Center in support of the Special Olympics and its athletes. (PATRICK BREEN / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics -- basketball
Lawrence Allen, 6 jumps up to hit a flashing red light outside the Pershing Center on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (PATRICK BREEN / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics -- basketball
Illinois' Chrystal Morse makes Leslie Gasser laugh as they exit the bus for their game against Indiana on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (PATRICK BREEN / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics -- art
Karen Fralich works Thursday, July 22, 2010, on carving a sand sculpture that took three days to build. More than 35 tons of sand was brought in to provide a sand sculpture for the 2010 Special Olympics. (PATRICK BREEN / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics fan
Lawrence Allen struggles to open his drink in the hot sun on Thursday, July 22, 2010, outside the Pershing Center. Allen and his mother came to have fun at the events inside. (PATRICK BREEN / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Patrick Breen
Special Olympics volunteer
Volunteer Susan Borden takes a look at all the signatures supporting the teams of the Special Olympics on Thursday, July 22, 2010. Borden has volunteered at the Special Olympics in Massachusetts for 11 years. "It's been amazing," she said, "so great to see all the athletes from all over." (PATRICK BREEN / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - pins
Matt Shaw shows off some of the pins he has collected so far during the Special Olympics 2010 USA National Games in Lincoln. Shaw has been trying to collect pins from every state. (JACOB HANNAH / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - pins
Matt Shaw hands out water at track and field during the Special Olympics 2010 USA National Games in Lincoln on Thursday, July 22, 2010. Shaw has been trying to collect pins from every state. (JACOB HANNAH / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - track
Kentucky's Ryan Barts has sunscreen put on under his eye in the early morning before his three events. Barts said this was the day he was waiting for and that his team could win the relay. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - volleyball
Iowa volleyball player Kenny Root walks down the hallway inside Abel Hall on Thursday morning before his team's game. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - track
Iowa's Corey Leonhard and Brad Small laugh as they wait for coaches in the morning before their race. Leonhard said he was excited for his long jump competition after winning first in China, becoming a world champion. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - track
Athlete Angela Dohrn has been collecting pins from the athletes from different states she has met, and giving away the Iowa pins she brought. "I have a lot," she said, "and only two left to give away." (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - dorms
Special Olympics basketball coach Lisa Wisniewski of Illinois looks on as Pennsylvania Bowling coach Leon Cole sticks a pin in athlete James Jamieson's lanyard outside Harper Dining Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (DANIELLE BEEBE / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - bowling
North Carolina Special Olympics coach Charles Dellinger takes a photo of his bowling team at Memorial Stadium on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (DANIELLE BEEBE / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - swimming
Chase Wangler (left), 3, of Columbus, Neb., grabs for a pom-pom during swimming competition from his cousin Michael Wangler, 8, of Loveland, Colo., at the 2010 National Special Olympics held on Thursday, July 22, 2010 at the Devaney Center Natatorium. (BRUCE THORSON /for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - swimming
Michael Currie, of Michigan, celebrates after finishing in first place of the 50 meter backstroke heat at the 2010 National Special Olympics held on Thursday, July 22, 2010 at the Devaney Center Natatorium. (BRUCE THORSON /for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - swimming
Kristopher Kroeger, of Indiana, finished in fourth place of the 50 meter backstroke heat at the 2010 National Special Olympics held on Thursday, July 22, 2010 at the Devaney Center Natatorium. (BRUCE THORSON /for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - swimming
Lynn Redding, swimming for Team Nebraska, took third place in the 25 meter free at the 2010 National Special Olympics held on Thursday, July 22, 2010 at the Devaney Center Natatorium. (BRUCE THORSON /for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - medical
While working in the UNL Police command center, Dr. Ed Mlinek (right), overseeing the Special Olympics medical response, has an athlete pulled from competition and transported to a hospital for care due to multiple symptoms. Steve Bennett, USA National Games Nebraska chief operating officer, is communicating with a radio at left. (ROBERT BECKER / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - medical
Dr. Ed Mlinek (left), overseeing the Special Olympics medical response, listens to Dr. Tadd Delozier in front of the Fleming Fields medical station on Thursday morning. (ROBERT BECKER / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - health
Iowa's Danielle Schofield has her teeth cleaned by dentist Charles Genrich and Stephanie Genrich in a make-shift dentist's office where more than 20 dentists cleaned, removed cavities and teeth for the athletes that needed treatment. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - health
Alabama's Kaitlyn Steadham has her ear looked at by Andrew Young at the health screenings hosted by the Special Olympics. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - health
Brenda Channel holds her daughter's wheelchair inside the Fun Fitness booth set up in the lower level of the Pershing Center. (PATRICK BREEN / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - volleyball
Emery Bartlett of team Nebraska is congratulated by fans after a Special Olympics volleyball game at the Abbott Sports Complex on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (TRAVIS BECK / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - volleyball
Chris Turner, left, of team Indiana juggles the ball with teammates during a Special Olympics volleyball game at the Abbott Sports Complex on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (TRAVIS BECK / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - volleyball
Doug Geyman celebrates with Indiana teammate Dar Districh during a Special Olympics volleyball game at the Abbott Sports Complex on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (TRAVIS BECK / Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - volleyball
Ashley Russell prepares to serve during a Special Olympics volleyball game at the Abbott Sports Complex on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (TRAVIS BECK / For the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - track
Spectators at the Special Olympics avoid the sun under umbrellas during the girls 1,500 meter walk at the Ed Weir Track on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (DANIELLE BEEBE / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Special Olympics - basketball
Abel Hall Conference Assistants Rashad Middleton (left) and Brett Guthric congratulate Special Olympics athlete Audra Jablonski and the rest of the Nebraska girls basketball team on their victory on Thursday, July 22, 2010. (DANIELLE BEEBE / for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Danielle Beebe
Special Olympics - health
Volunteer Emily Bateman looks into the eyes of Nebraska Special Olympics athlete Curtis Rogers on Wednesday as Rogers gets fitted for new glasses. (PATRICK BREEN /for the Lincoln Journal Star)
Patrick Breen
Audience interaction is a key part of "It's Our School, Too!" which seeks to raise awareness of and respect for students with intellectual disabilities.
Thousands of Special Olympics athletes have been getting free health screenings this week from the volunteer doctors, dentists and other medical workers.
Dr. Ed Mlinek is the medical hub, not the wheel, of the Special Olympics medical operations composed of 600-700 volunteer nurses from BryanLGH, 130 from the Red Cross, plus 40 doctors, physician assistants or advanced practice registered nurses.
McKinley Cooper, who this fall will be a senior at Georgetown University, says she is "among the most amazing people, the nicest people, and the most amazing athletes" in Lincoln.