Eastern Star Adaptive Skating Program
Organization Details
Eastern Star Adaptive Skating Program is China's first ice skating system specifically designed for people with disabilities, founded in 2022. The program has been consistently recognized as a Special Olympics Youth Leadership Innovation Project and has partnered with Rong Ai Rong Le and the Wukesong Ice Sports Center. It has been featured multiple times on Hainan TV's public welfare program and covered by Lei Feng magazine, managed by the People's Publishing House, as well as by Youth Pie, China Online Education, and Tencent Education platforms. Through innovative skating courses and activities, Eastern Star Adaptive Skating Program provides people with disabilities the opportunity to overcome physical barriers, challenge themselves, and showcase their potential.
Impact Story
The Eastern Star Adaptive Skating Program was born from my deep personal inspiration and a drive to fill a crucial gap in China’s sports landscape. During my middle school years in Buffalo, New York, I was profoundly inspired by the Gliding Star adaptive skating program. When I returned to China in 2021, I noticed a significant lack of similar initiatives and decided to address this void. Despite facing substantial challenges—such as funding shortages, societal prejudice, limited knowledge about adaptive sports, academic pressures, and skepticism about my leadership—I pushed forward. I organized two large-scale educational lectures, which attracted 287 participants and helped me raise initial funding of 12,000 RMB to support my vision.
By July 2022, at just 16 years old, I successfully launched the Eastern Star Adaptive Skating Program. Over the next two years, the program gained significant recognition and support. It was consistently chosen as a Special Olympics Youth Leadership Innovation Project and received the highest annual sponsorship of $2,000. I had the opportunity to speak at several international events, including the Special Olympics East Asia Youth Leadership Summit, which helped elevate the program’s visibility and impact. On June 15, 2024, my leadership culminated in China’s first adaptive ice skating performance, attracting over 280 attendees and 40 special guests. The program’s success has been widely covered by media, including Hainan TV and various educational platforms. By May 2024, the program had expanded to 55 volunteers and 25 participants, including those with severe disabilities, proving that no barrier is insurmountable.
Diverse Social Enterprise
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