ARLINGTON — What do you get when you have 250 teenagers come together? If those youths are at a conference for the youth of the Allen Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you get a group of volunteers.

This year, the youth conference sent its volunteers to help with the 2008 Special Olympics Texas Summer Games in Arlington on Friday and Saturday, May 23rd and 24th.

"We like to look for service opportunities," said Brent Peterson, president of Allen Texas Stake Young Men. "We like to live our religion."

The Stake brought about 250 youth and 50 adult chaperones to Arlington. Peterson said other church leaders had helped with Special Olympics in other cities and that inspired the Allen group to pitch in this year. Comprised of nine congregations from Allen, Bonham, Farmersville, Greenville, and Melissa, the Stake is based out of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building in Allen on Exchange Parkway near Alma.

The youth helped with opening ceremonies and a dance for the athletes on Friday night and assisted with competitions and escorting competitors on Saturday.

"This is great because they [the volunteers] get the contact with the athletes," Peterson said.

The youth conference's volunteers were easy to spot in bright green T-shirts with the hymn title of "Sweet is His Work" on the back. Most of the shirts also displayed names of friends in marker who signed each other's shirts.

"A lot of people come up to us in our shirts and ask where we're from. When we say we're from the Allen area, they say wow and ask us to come back next year," Peterson said.

Aubrey Brooks, 14, of Honey Grove, helped escort the athletes to different events and helped keep scores.

"This conference  was so fun," she said. "Here you get to watch all of these Special Olympians compete, and even if they come in last, there is no last.  Everyone is recognized for trying.  They are all so happy!"

For the Summer Games nearly 3,200 volunteers helped about 2,900 athletes share common experiences and know what it is like to not be different from those around them.

Peterson said the majority of the youth's efforts were in cheering the athletes on to let them know they were doing a great job. 

"I had the privilege of helping put the medals on the athletes," said Hillary Slaughter, 15, of Bailey.  "They all had such a pure love in them that really touched me.  It makes me want to be more like them."

James Talley, 16, of Edhube, acted as the youth chairman for the church group. "This was one of the best experiences of my life.  As an athlete myself, I saw how courageous these athletes were.  No matter how severe their disability, they truly lived up to their motto of 'If I cannot finish first then let me try my best.'  If only we could all live by such ideals," stated Talley.

(Portions of this article courtesy of Troy Brakefield and the Star Community Newspapers.)