It’s the start of the race, he’s on his mark. The other young racers are surrounding him, and 16-year-old Jackson Johnston’s heart pounds in anticipation.

It seems like an eternity for the race to start, then the pistol goes off like a crack. Jackson jumps ahead of everyone. Running as fast as he can down the track, Jackson takes a commanding lead. He looks toward the mark at the end because he knows how badly he wants that gold medal. When he breaks through the tape at the end the crowd erupts, people are shaking his hand and patting him on the back. He did it, he got that elusive third gold medal of the day while participating in Special Olympics.

Missouri Southern sponsored Special Olympics on April 12. Jackson, a sophomore at Joplin High School, received three gold medals for the softball throw, 100-meter run and the long jump. Jackson said he is competitive when it comes to Special Olympics.

Brenda Yokley, teacher’s aide in the specialized room at JHS, has worked with Jackson for two years with his Special Olympic events. The week before the Olympics the class had a volleyball game with the boys against the girls; the boys won.

“They have bowling Special Olympics in the fall,” Yokley said. “We’ve been working on it (the events) for a couple of months now.”

Besides participating in Special Olympics, Jackson is also an avid skateboarder. He said he can do tricks that include an ollie and a kickflip. Jackson can almost do a complete 360. Jackson’s mother, Gerrie-Ellen Johnston, theatre instructor, said Jackson goes out skateboarding all the time and tries to teach her how to skateboard.

“He tries to get me on there,” Gerrie-Ellen said.

“You think I would be able to do that? I think it’s that I’m old enough to know better.”

Jackson goes skateboarding at The Bridge and other area skate parks. Gerrie-Ellen has never told her son and daughter, Lissa, about their disability, and she doesn’t plan on telling them.

“Jackson and his sister Lissa were diagnosed with a specific genetic disability when they were 3 and 4,” Gerrie-Ellen said. “The prognosis was not very good, and they basically were not given a lot of encouragement.”

She doesn’t treat Jackson or Lissa like they have a disability, and she doesn’t believe they should be treated any different than anyone else. The result of not telling Jackson and Lissa their specific disability is that they are doing exceptionally well in school and in life said Gerrie-Ellen.

Gerrie-Ellen has always told her children if they want to do something then they should go and do it. When Jackson turned 16, he decided he wanted to get his driver’s license. Jackson walked by himself to the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain the book needed to study for the license test. He constantly asks his mother about what he needs to do to obtain a driver’s license.

He also obtained an application for work at McDonald’s so he can save his money to buy a car