Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® is a program for schools Pre-K through university that intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create accepting school environments, utilizing three interconnected components: Special Olympics Unified Sports®, inclusive youth leadership, and whole school engagement.
The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program is aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change. With sports as the foundation, a three component model offers a unique combination of effective activities that equip young people with tools and training to create sports, classroom and school climates of acceptance. These are school climates where students with disabilities feel welcome and are routinely included in, and feel a part of, all activities, opportunities and functions.
Young people with disabilities do not often get a chance to play on their school sports teams. More and more U.S. states are adopting the Unified Sports approach that Special Olympics pioneered. This is accomplished by implementing inclusive sports, inclusive youth leadership opportunities, and whole school engagement. The program is designed to be woven into the fabric of the school, enhancing current efforts and providing rich opportunities that lead to meaningful change in creating a socially inclusive school that supports and engages all learners.
What a Unified Champion School “looks like” can vary greatly from school to school, based on the needs, goals, schedules and other factors unique to each school; but the basic building blocks remain the same.
Unified Sports are now in more than 4,500 elementary, middle and high schools in the United States. Seventy percent of Unified Champion Schools (Pre-K through Grade 12) are engaging in Unified Sports! Also 215 US colleges and universities have Special Olympics College Clubs on campus, providing ongoing Unified and inclusionary activities for students and Special Olympics athletes. 73 of the 215 US colleges and universities activating Special Olympics College conduct ongoing Unified Sports on their campus.
Contact us today to learn how to get your school involved or get started below!
Get Unified Champion Schools started in your school!
- Review the Unified Champions Schools Agreement with your school’s principal and a teacher and/or youth leader.
- Select the initiatives you would like to see in your school, or things that you may already be doing at your school.
- Complete the agreement, with all signatures, or submit via online
- Get started building a school and community of inclusion!
- Need help? Contact Kayla Hudson for assistance.
Check out Outreach for Superintendents and the benefits of Unified Champion Schools in your school or district.
Congratulations to our 2023-2024 UCS Schools
Berkeley County
- Hedgesville High School
- Martinsburg High School
- Musselman High School
- Spring Mills High School
Boone County
- Scott High School
- Sherman High School
Jackson County
- Ravenswood High School
- Ripley High School
Jefferson County
- Jefferson County High School
- Washington High School
Marion County
- East Fairmont High School
- Fairmont Senior High School
- North Marion High School
SO College
- Bluefield College