Special Olympics New York Announces Delegates for 2025 Capitol Hill Day DC
Horseheads High School & Staten Island Athletes and Coaches Selected to Represent New York
Albany, NY – Special Olympics New York will join Special Olympics programs throughout the country in Washington, DC, Tuesday, Feb. 4, for Special Olympics Capitol Hill Day. Athletes and coaches from Horseheads High School and Staten Island have been selected to participate, based on their exceptional leadership and passion for the movement.
Participants will be speaking with lawmakers about the stigma faced by people with intellectual disabilities, and about how Special Olympics programming in sports, health, and education make an impact. This long-running annual event is organized by Special Olympics North America and includes hundreds of participants from 47 states and the District of Columbia.
Representing Special Olympics New York will be the following:
- Stacey Hengsterman, President & CEO
- Casey Vattimo, Senior Vice President of External Relations
- Nicole Fess, Associate Director of Program, Central & Southern Tier Regions
- Adam Wolf, Student Athlete, Horseheads High School and Phoenix Academy
- Braden Tenbus, Student Unified Partner, Horseheads High School
- Alisha Tenbus, Special Olympics Coach & Youth Activation Committee Advisor, Horseheads High School
- Alexis Dawson, Director of Development, Long Island Region
- Christine Johnson, Staten Island Coach and Unified Partner
- Miko Mattioli, Staten Island Athlete
“Special Olympics Hill Day is a unique opportunity for our nation’s leaders to hear directly from the athletes, coaches and students whose lives are improved by federal funds that support our Unified Champion Schools and health programs,” said Special Olympics New York President & CEO Stacey Hengsterman. “We know that our representatives from Horseheads High School and the Staten Island community are going to make all of New York proud.”
“The Horseheads Unified Raiders program exemplifies how inclusion and collaboration can transform both our schools and our community,” explained Kris Earl, Horseheads High School Principal.
“By bringing students of all abilities together through sports like eSports, soccer, bowling, and basketball, the program fosters teamwork, respect, and a sense of belonging. With support from Special Olympics, dedicated staff, and the broader community, it empowers students to excel athletically and socially while forming lifelong connections. Unified Sports has truly enriched our district culture and has created a stronger and more compassionate community for all,” said Dr. Thomas J. Douglas, Horseheads Central School District Superintendent of Schools.
“As a longtime Special Olympics coach, I am proud to advocate for this organization alongside our amazing athletes,” said Christine Johnson, Staten Island Coach and Unified Partner. “We can’t wait to make our voices heard.”
Special Olympics New York delegation members are available for media interviews leading up to and after Capitol Hill Day.
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