Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® is a program for schools Pre-K through College 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.
2020-2021 Letter of Intent - Sign your school up!
The Special Olympics North America Digital Youth Summit: Inclusion in Action is happening on May 7, 2021, from 3:00-5:00 pm.
In the first hour, join Special Olympics North America for a live streamed speaker series featuring Special Olympics celebrities and leaders on our Generation Unified YouTube channel.
Directly following the livestream, participants are invited to join the Zoom reception. The Zoom reception features a Q&A panel featuring KPMG executives and Special Olympics professionals with an opportunity for you to network and collaborate with youth around the nation.
In order to attend the Zoom reception, you'll need to complete the 4 Foundational Youth Leadership Trainings (click here if you are in high school and here if you are in middle school). After you watch each training, you will receive an exit ticket. Once you receive your exit ticket, you can register for the Zoom reception by clicking here.
Complete the trainings and register for the Zoom reception by May 3rd to secure your spot.
U.S. YOUTH AMBASSADORS PROGRAM Special Olympics UCS is looking for a new class of youth leaders to join the U.S. Youth Ambassador team! Youth leaders with and without intellectual disabilities between the ages of 14 and 22 years old will be selected to serve as U.S. Youth Ambassadors for two years in a role focused on training, engagement and activation at the national level. Applications are due Friday, July 2.
U.S. Youth Ambassador Program Info
AT HOME WORKOUT KITS Available to students in participating Unified Champion Schools, kits aim to help keep everyone active and fit at school or at home. Kits include a backpack with detachable mesh ball carrier, basketball, yoga mat, set of 3 resistance bands, jump rope, workout die, and bonus surprise Special Olympics pin.
Resources
Bands & Jumprope Alphabet Workout
How to Guide Bands and Jumprope
Congratulations Cody High School!
Check out their talent project video on the Special Olympics Wyoming's YouTube page.
NATIONAL BANNER RECOGNITION Applications for the 2020-2021 school year will open Thursday, April 1, and close Tuesday, June 1. Visit https://specialolympics.submittable.com/submit to apply.
Application Questions and Directions
Unified Sports
Unified Sports is a fully inclusive sports or fitness program that combines an approximately equal number of students with and without intellectual disabilities. Unified sports can be implemented using one of three styles: competitive; player development, teams compete in Special Olympics Wyoming area and state games; and recreation, which includes Unified PE, Young Athletes, and Unified fitness. Special Olympics Wyoming offers twelve Unified sports throughout the year.
Inclusive Youth Leadership
Inclusive Youth Leadership occurs when students with and without intellectual disabilities work together to lead and plan advocacy, awareness, and other inclusive activities throughout the school year. Inclusive Youth Leadership is available at the school level, state level, and international level. School Unified Clubs are a great way to engage Youth Leaders at any grade level.
Whole School Engagement
Whole School Engagement consists of awareness and education activities that promote inclusion and which reach the majority of the school population. Whole school activities also offer a platform to demonstrate the power of young people to positively impact their school community by promoting inclusion. The annual awareness campaign Spread The Word Inclusion is a great way to engage all students.