Middle School (Ages 12-15)

We require all Unified Champion Schools to complete a mid and end of year survey to keep us informed on how your school is meeting the 3 components of Unified Sports, Youth Leadership and Whole School Engagement. The End of Year Survey for schools to complete will be ready soon!

In order for your school to be an official Unified Champion School, you must demonstrate the following 3 components. Once your school has these components, you can apply to become a Unified Champion School.

Special Olympics Unified Sports is a component of the Unified Champion Schools program that engages students with and without intellectual disabilities on the same sports team. Unified Sports provides valuable social inclusion opportunities for all teammates to build friendships on and off the playing field. Through modeling genuine inclusion for the entire school community, all teammates are challenged to improve their sports skills and fitness. In the process, young adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities increase their positive attitudes and perceptions toward their peers and establish friendships.

Options to Implement at Your School:

Unified Physical Education →

Interscholastic Sports →

For other great examples of what unified sports looks like at the Middle School level, please check out the Middle Level Playbook.

• Students with and without intellectual disabilities will be given the opportunity to work together as leaders to advocate for inclusion and promote unified activities within the school and throughout the community.
• Options to Implement at Your School:
  - Best Buddies (or a like program)
  - National Honors Society
  - Inclusive Student Council
  - Youth Activation Council – A committee of students who bridge together their schools with Special Olympics and Unified Champion Schools to create an inclusive atmosphere made up of students who act as agents of change within their communities and beyond.
• For other great examples of what inclusive Youth Leadership looks like at the Middle School level, please check out the Inclusive Youth Leadership Guidelines.

• Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools provide opportunities for all students to learn about and practice social inclusion through sustained engagement, whether during an assembly, as part of a sports experience, or through planned activities that reach the interdisciplinary team or whole school. Through whole school engagement opportunities integrated with inclusive youth leadership and inclusive sports components, the school becomes a powerful community that represents new ways of thinking and acting.
• Options to Implement at Your School:
  - Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign
  - Unified Pep Rallies and Unified Sports Days
  - Plays and Film Clips
  - Assemblies
  - Fans in the Stands

High School (Ages 14-22)

We require all Unified Champion Schools to complete a mid and end of year survey to keep us informed on how your school is meeting the 3 components of Unified Sports, Youth Leadership and Whole School Engagement. The End of Year Survey for schools to complete will be ready soon!

In order for your school to be an official Unified Champion School, you must demonstrate the following 3 components. Once your school has these components, you can apply to become a Unified Champion School.

• Athletes with and without intellectual disabilities train alongside each other as teammates to promote inclusion, acceptance, and respect.
• Teams in the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools Program will engage in a competition that will highlight each athlete's strengths and abilities, making the competition challenging and fun for each participant.

• Students with and without intellectual disabilities will be given the opportunity to work together as leaders to advocate for inclusion and promote unified activities within the school and throughout the community.
• May include:
  - Best Buddies (or a like program)National Honors Society
  - Student Council
  - Youth Activation Council – A committee of students who bridge together their schools with Special Olympics and Unified Champion Schools to create an inclusive atmosphere made up of students who act as agents of change within their communities and beyond.

College

College and university campuses across the country have a long history with Special Olympics, from UCLA, to Notre Dame, to Harvard. College campuses were some of the first places to let Special Olympics host games and training. Today, the role of colleges and universities has grown to College Clubs and Unified Sports offered on campuses, that connect college students and individuals with intellectual disabilities through sports to build friendships.

In order for your school to be an official Unified Champion School, you must demonstrate the following 3 components. Once your school has these components, you can apply to become a Unified Champion School.

• Unified Sports joins college students without intellectual disabilities (Unified partners) and college students or community members with intellectual disabilities (Special Olympics athletes) on the same team – playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.
• At the college level, Unified Sports functions as:
  - Unified Sports Intramurals
  - Unified College Club
  - Unified Health & Fitness
• For more information about starting a Special Olympics College Club on your campus, please check out the Special Olympics College Club Starter’s Guide.

• Inclusive leadership occurs when people of all abilities are given opportunities to be leaders -on their campus. These leadership activities help individuals, both with and without intellectual disabilities, to find their voices and become change agents in their communities by promoting equity and acceptance.
• At the college level, Inclusive Leadership functions as:
  - Special Olympics College Clubs
  - Student-Athlete Leadership Council (NCAA & NAIA Institutions)