Southern Lehigh High School Special Olympics Team, This Week's Whiz Kids

Names: Julia Pyle, Timmy Senters, Alexa Reiner, Chris Beamer

Grade: All seniors

School: Southern Lehigh High School

Nominated by: Southern Lehigh School District Administrators

Key to awesomeness: Hard work.

Don't let the name fool you. The Lehigh County Special Olympics is serious competition. "We have over 400 participants this year," said Special Olympics executive Donna Seng. The annual track and field day will also have an opening ceremony, an Olympic village, closing ceremony and more than 600 volunteers from the area. "It's a big event," said Seng.

The students, all first-time participants, will compete in four of the seven track- and-field events. Beamer and Reiner are participating in the shotput. Beamer and Senters are participating in the 200-meter dash. Pyle, Reiner and Senters are participating in the standing long jump. All four are participating in the softball throw. Additional events include 50- and 100-meter dashes, and a wheelchair race.

But it's not all about the glory for these students.

In addition to their schoolwork and the Special Olympics training, each student participates in a work-experience program. Each student has two jobs as such locations as the Southern Lehigh Public Library and Sacred Heart Senior Living Center.

"These are amazing kids," said teacher Theresa Ware.

For some, the promise of a gold medal is great, but it's not all about the gold.

When asked what the Southern Lehigh team's chances are for bringing home the gold, Pyle played it close to the vest.

"We have just as good of a chance as any other school," said Pyle.

The Lehigh County Special Olympics Annual Track and Field Event is Tuesday May 10 from 8am to 2pm at Whitehall High School