Miss Wisconsin 2019 Alyssa Bohm’s social impact initiative is “Enhancing Opportunities for Individuals with Special Needs.” Inspired by her Aunt Cindy who has an intellectual disability, Alyssa has been working to provide resources and opportunities for people with disabilities since she was in high school. Alyssa has spearheaded many initiatives to advance inclusivity, including co-creating a high school cheerleading squad for girls with special needs, co-creating the UW-Whitewater Special Olympics College Organization and developing the UW-Whitewater Special Olympics Football Camp. She is currently the youngest board of directors member in the history of Special Olympics Wisconsin.
People with disabilities comprise the single largest minority group in the world. A high school special education teacher, Alyssa sees a great need to facilitate inclusivity of students of all abilities in Wisconsin’s schools and communities. As Miss Wisconsin, Alyssa will travel the state to educate students and the public about how they can work together to embrace and include people with differences; enhance the Special Olympics Unified Sports Program within school environments; and champion the cause to make Wisconsin’s public beaches accessible to those who are physically disabled through the proposed requirement of beach wheelchairs.
And while Alyssa’s message of inclusivity is focused on those with special needs, she is committed equally to applying this message to encourage and teach inclusion of anyone with different abilities, beliefs, and backgrounds.
