Special Olympics Senior Director, Early Childhood and Preventive Health, Rebecca Ralston (left) and Early Childhood Project Manager, Cassandra Ryan (right) present during the closing cermony of the Georgetown University Thrive Center’s Innovation Hub fellowship.
On December 11, 2025, leaders from the Special Olympics Early Childhood Development team successfully completed a 13-week Fellowship with the Georgetown University Thrive Center’s Innovation Hub. The Fellowship supports mission-driven innovations designed to strengthen the early childhood and education workforce through practical, human-centered solutions. Special Olympics was one of six organizations chosen in this competitive process, recognized for its commitment to advancing the health and wellbeing for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families.
Throughout the 13 week program, Special Olympics collaborated closely with Georgetown faculty, local early childhood implementers, and national partners to deepen the impact and reach of the Young Athletes app—a free mobile app for families of children ages birth to seven. The app provides personalized, play-based activities tailored to each child’s development, evidence-based health information, and opportunities to connect with other families in their community. At a time when families of children with IDD may face significant challenges, including limited access to early intervention, long waitlists for services, and feelings of isolation, the Young Athletes app provides much needed support to families searching for practical, inclusive solutions that support development from the earliest moments and foster community connection. The Fellowship provided structured opportunities to continue improving the App’s reach and efficacy through rapid-cycle learning, market mapping, strategic visioning, and co-design with providers and families nationwide.
“Participating in the Georgetown Innovation Hub Fellowship has been an invaluable learning experience for our team. The Fellowship gave us the opportunity to deepen our understanding of early childhood systems and explore how to better integrate the Young Athletes app into those ecosystems. By learning from experts and partners, we’ve strengthened our ability to reach families earlier and with greater warmth, ensuring they have access to inclusive, evidence-based tools that support their child’s development.”
Rebecca Ralston, Senior Director, Early Childhood and Preventive Health at Special Olympics
During the Fellowship, Special Olympics focused on building pathways to scale the Young Athletes app through early childhood and health systems. Key outputs included: creating a map of systems where families can seek support, developing an engagement framework with tailored messaging and onboarding strategies, piloting these approaches with select channels to refine tactics, and developing an implementation toolkit to socialize these changes with Special Olympics Programs. These steps position the app for broader, systems-level adoption and impact.
“We’re meeting families where they are, often in moments of concern or frustration, and turning uncertainty into connection and hope. By integrating the Young Athletes app into trusted systems, we can reach families sooner, support them from the start, and build the foundation for even greater growth and impact in the years ahead.”
Cassandra Ryan, Early Childhood Project Manager at Special Olympics
Following the Fellowship, Special Olympics will continue to expand partnerships with early childhood systems and programs at the state and national level to support growth and connection. The experience will also drive the ongoing innovation and evolution for the app, with planned enhancements including personalized health content and deeper integration with providers. Guided by family feedback and insights from the Fellowship, these continuous adaptations ensure the app remains a dynamic, inclusive tool that builds pathways for inclusion, empowers caregivers, and creates opportunities for every child to thrive.
To learn more and download the Young Athletes app, visit the Apple Store or Google Play.
Rockport native Arthur Barragan is turning hometown pride into purpose through his locally-owned company called Brightview Exterior Cleaning, a business rooted in service quality and community commitment.
Barragan, who grew up in Rockport, says building a business in his hometown was always the goal. After spending nearly a decade as a specialty welder, he launched Brightview during the COVID pandemic, seeking stability and control over his future.
Today, Brightview Exterior Cleaning provides residential and commercial services, including soft house washing, window cleaning, pressure washing, and trash can cleaning, serving waterfront properties, neighborhoods, and local businesses across Rockport.
Now in its fifth year, the company has grown from about 100 customers to more than 700, a success Barragan credits to consistent customer service and strong relationships with other local businesses.
Giving back is central to Brightview’s mission. The company supports Church Unlimited, local youth sports, and community events, reflecting Barragan’s belief that business growth should benefit the entire town.
For Barragan, success is measured not just by numbers but by service to the community that raised him.
Brightview Exterior Cleaning can be found online at brightviewexteriorcleaning.com and on Facebook and Instagram under Brightview Exterior Cleaning, where the company regularly shares photos and updates from recent projects.
“This town gave me everything, Barragan said. Now I get to give back.”
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is encouraging youth across the state in grades K-12 to submit their original artwork of any Tennessee native fish for the national Art of Conservation: Fish Art Contest. The contest was created by the nonprofit Wildlife Forever to encourage youth to become connected to the outdoors.
The contest is free to enter, and students can submit one 2D piece and one 3D piece. All participants must enter original artwork of a Tennessee fish in a natural habitat and may not replicate another artist’s work. Photos or videos used as a source material for inspiration of the artwork are allowed. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi are not eligible for this contest.
Additionally, TWRA is adding its own specialty award this year, The Bill Dance Signature Lakes Award – in honor of the legacy of fishing legend Bill Dance and the TWRA’s work to develop premier fishing destinations across the state. To be considered for the award, students should enter artwork of largemouth or smallmouth bass or art featuring bass fishing.
All submissions must be entered through an online entry form. More information regarding rules, submission form, and requirements can be found on the Wildlife Forever Art of Conservation website. The last day for submitting artwork is Feb. 28, 2026.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.
The Centennial Cougars won their game at Centennial Sports Arena against the Champlin Park Rebels on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, ending 7-4.
The Rebels took the lead in the middle of the first period, with a goal from Paul Pazandak. Derek Roehl assisted.
The Cougars tied it up 1-1 with a goal from Nick Carls halfway through the first, assisted by Joey Hemr.
Five goals were scored in the second period, and the Cougars led 4-3 going in to the third period.
The Cougars increased the lead to 5-3, only 43 seconds into the third when Cooper Daikawa netted one, assisted by Keegan Julik.
Kaden Johnson made it 6-3 with a goal three minutes later, assisted by Gavin Cunningham.
Paul Pazandak narrowed the gap to 6-4 with a goal three minutes later, assisted by Gabe Contons and Brody Girard.
Gavin Cunningham also increased the lead to 7-4 with a goal eight minutes later.
The teams will face off once again at Champlin Ice Forum on January 9th.
Coming up:
The Cougars will go up against the Forest Lake Rangers at Centennial Sports Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, while the Rebels will battle Maple Grove on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, at Maple Grove Community Center.
Read more prep coverage
Scoring:
Minnesota, Centennial Sports Arena
6th December 2025
Champlin Park Rebels at Centennial Cougars
7-4
1st period:
Champlin Park Rebels, 1–0 (9:44) Paul Pazandak
Centennial Cougars, 1–1 (12:20) Nick Carls
2nd period:
1–2 (23:20) Kaden Johnson, 2–2 (23:42) Max Peterson, 3–2 (25:30) Rhys George, 3–3 (30:55) Joey Hemr, 3–4 (32:25) Nick Carls
3rd period:
3–5 (41:43) Cooper Daikawa, 3–6 (44:48) Kaden Johnson, 4–6 (47:13) Paul Pazandak, 4–7 (55:39) Gavin Cunningham
Automated articles produced by United Robots on behalf of The Rink Live.
St. Joseph’s Bella Bartolovic is a member of the 2025-26 basketball team. (Submitted by Bella Bartolovic)
Springdale’s Robby Simmen is a member of the 2025-26 basketball team. (Submitted by Robby Simmen)
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Bella Bartolovic
School: St. Joseph
Class: Sophomore
Sport: Basketball
Claim to fame: Bartolovic dropped a season-high 27 points against Leechburg on Tuesday. She then followed that up with 19 against Eden Christian on Thursday to lead St. Joseph to a 2-0 week. The sophomore guard leads the Spartans with six double-figure scoring games and 20.5 points per contest.
St. Joseph is 5-2 (3-0) and will prepare for a meeting with Aquinas Academy (6-0, 2-0) on Monday.
What do you believe is the potential of this team, even with it being a young one?
It is a great start, and we look to continue this streak. I believe this team has a lot of potential this season to make it far, even though we’re young.
What has been working well for you as you’ve taken a scoring leap?
I have a very supportive team and coaching staff, which allows me to play without the worry of making mistakes.
If you maintain your scoring, how will you respond when teams begin to put you at the top of the scouting report?
I will take this as a compliment. I will continue to work on improving my game and trusting my teammates.
What can you say about the contributions the team has gotten from senior Kasey Cienik and junior Jocelyn Spinelli?
Their leadership has been very important because they encourage us all to do our best and boost our confidence.
What is a must-do when you have a day off from school and basketball?
Play more basketball
What is the best basketball shoe out right now?
Sabrina’s
What are your plans for the holidays?
To spend time with family and friends
What is your favorite Christmas song?
“Jingle Bell Rock.”
You have a matchup against Aquinas Academy on Monday, a rematch of last year’s No. 2 teams in Section 1-A. What will be the keys to staying undefeated in section play against the Crusaders?
The keys to Monday will be staying composed and working as a team.
Robby Simmen
School: Springdale
Class: Junior
Sport: Basketball
Claim to fame: Simmen went off for a season-high 39 points to lead Springdale to a Section 1-2A win over California on Tuesday. He then scored 15 in an overtime loss to Bentworth on Friday. Simmen has reached double digits in all six games for the Dynamos (2-4, 1-2) and leads them with 20.5 points a game.
After graduating eight seniors last year, how have you and other underclassmen stepped up and filled in leadership roles?
Many of our current juniors and our senior that have been on the team last year know what it takes to be a leader from experiencing our games and practices. The past seniors and our coaches set a great example for us. We stepped up by continuing to do what makes us better as a team, which is lifting each other up as well as giving everyone the confidence they need on and off the court.
What has been the biggest improvement in your offensive game this season?
In the offseason, I work on all of my skills. I feel I improved most in my speed and strength. It gives me a lot more opportunity to be an all-around threat on offense.
In three out of five games this year, the team has had two double-digit scorers. Liam Dexter has two of those games. How have you seen him grow as a player in your three years together?
Liam has always had the skill to do what he does. We’ve played together on a youth basketball team since third grade. His ability to shoot and play in the paint makes him a difficult player to guard.
What is a must-do when you have a day off from school and basketball?
When I’m not playing basketball or in school, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.
Who is your favorite music artist, and is it the same person for pregame?
My favorite artists are probably Zach Bryan or Drake. Drake is more for pregame, though.
What are your plans for the holidays?
Go spend time with family.
What Christmas movie is a sneaky contender for the best of all time?
The Commanders will have nearly two dozen players hit free agency in March, so these final three games are a lot like preseason games, as glorified tryouts. Chris Rodriguez Jr., a Commanders sixth-round pick in 2023, stuck around with the regime change in ’24 and has really come on this season to become the team’s de facto starter after Austin Ekeler went down with an Achilles injury. He will be a restricted free agent in March, and as Washington tries to revamp the entire roster, his play this evening could carry significant weight in deciding his future here.
Rookie Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt could play heavily into that. Bill has shown flashes of his quickness, speed and vision behind the line of scrimmage, and leads the team in both rushing yards (646) and rushing touchdowns (five) through Week 15. But his development into a complete back, who can block and catch passes out of the backfield, will be key to him becoming more of a featured back.
