In my opinion, the Paralympics and Special Olympics are one way for children and adults with special needs to really shine and show the world what they're capable of. In a way, its more than just a sporting event, its advocacy and also a way of providing opportunities for people with special needs that they might otherwise not have. The Special Olympics also has a really awesome program called the Young Athletes Program where they aim to teach kids with special needs under the age of 8 the general skills they need to participate in sports as they get older.