Montgomery Co. high school student Jianna Kim works from the heart for Special Olympics Pennsylvania

LANSDALE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Special Olympics Pennsylvania helps those with special needs discover the joy of sports, but it wouldn't happen without volunteers who give their time to coach and mentor the athletes and run the competitions.

And that includes Montgomery County high school senior Jianna Kim's dedication to the program.

Special Olympics have always been part of Kim's life. Her grandfather brought the program to South Korea.

She was in 6th grade when she got directly involved with the Montgomery County track and field team, known as Wicked Fast.

Now, she's a certified coach, working with long-distance walkers.

"I just like to stick by them and encourage the athletes to keep going and make sure they keep up their form," says Kim.

But she also helps in other ways, such as through her non-profit, GIVE-Youth, which connects young people with opportunities to volunteer.

And she's connected her school, Germantown Academy, with Special Olympics. It's a perfect fit for the service-oriented school.

"Last year, I was able to provide opportunities for students at my school to volunteer at the local track meet," says Kim.

She's also brought in faculty and families and created a chamber music group to bring music to a special needs audience often left out of live performance events. The group has also encouraged the musical talents of some Special Olympics athletes.

This year, Germantown Academy became a "Cool School," advocating and raising funds for Special Olympics, taking part in the Polar Plunge and the Polar Pop, where school administrators get soaked thanks to water balloons filled with ice cold water.

Kim has really broken the ice for Special Olympics in her school and in Worcester Township, where she lives.

"There's just more people actively looking to serve Special Olympics in my community, which I just find really exciting," she says. "People were able to see the amazing things that these athletes and these families can do."

Because of her time with Special Olympics, this high school senior now hopes to become a doctor, focusing on neuroscience.

"There's many of the athletes that could have gotten earlier therapies and earlier intervention with just faster diagnosis or more efficient and better diagnosis," she says.

Kim's grandfather is always excited about her efforts. He avidly follows her projects on Instagram and she calls him often to tell him the latest.

For more information, visit SpecialOlympicsPA.org.