Special Olympics Wisconsin Unified Champion Schools is a strategy that promotes experiences for individuals with and without intellectual disabilities within a school to create a unified experience for students and educators.
Special Olympics Wisconsin views students as the future! They are powerful and effective advocates, open-minded to new things and having the courage of conviction to step up and defend their beliefs. For this reason, we feel that students are some of the most powerful and effective advocates on behalf of acceptance.
“UCS has greatly transformed our school and community! The UCS program at Milton Middle School has really promoted kindness and inclusion throughout not only our school but the community of Milton as well. Our UCS program always has an abundance of members (both students and staff) who are all very excited to be a part of the team. I can easily say our UCS program is the highlight of my school year every single year.”
– Emily Rothering Peterson, Seventh Grade Teacher at Milton Middle School
How to Make a School Unified
The Unified Champion Schools® strategy is creating a Unified Generation who are leading the charge to reimagine and create communities in which all people are included and accepted. The Three Components model offers a unique combination of effective activities that equip schools with the tools and training to create a climate of acceptance. These three components can be implemented differently within each school and are encouraged to be student-led.
The Three Components & Examples
- Inclusive Sports
Various fitness programs are used for students to develop exceptional athletic skills while forming friendships, fostering respect for each other, and becoming leaders on and off the field of play.
- Unified Sports Day
- Young Athletes
- Unified Rookies
- SOfit
- Unified P.E.
- Youth Leadership
Students with and without intellectual disabilities creatively work together to become agents of change within their school, community, and state.
- Youth Activation Committee
- Unified Clubs
- Athletes Leadership Program
- Whole School Engagement
Opportunities provided to allow all students the ability to participate in school wide educational activities, creating a social inclusive environment.
- Spread the Word Inclusion Campaign
- Polar Plunge Fundraiser
- Unified Assemblies
- Unified Readers
Who Can Be a Unified Champion School?
Any school, no matter the grade level(s), can be a Unified Champion School! Here are examples of what each grade level can be participating in:
Elementary Schools
- Young athletes
- Unified Readers
- Lunch Buddies
- Unified P.E.
- Down Syndrome/Autism Awareness Day
- Spread the Word Inclusion Week
- Unified Rec Days
Middle Schools
- Unified Rookies
- Down Syndrome/ Autism Awareness Day
- Spread the Word Inclusion Week
- Unified P.E.
- Unified Sports
- Unified Rec Days
- Unified Clubs
High Schools
- SOfit
- Unified P.E.
- Unified Sports
- Polar Plunge
- Unified Assemblies
- Unified Clubs
Join Us! How Your School Can Become a Unified Champion School
- Fill out this interest form & a SOWI staff member will reach out to you
- Meet with your school administration
- Sign up as a Unified School
- Create a plan to implement the 3 components
Students of all abilities have the power to positively impact their school communities by promoting social inclusion. Learn how you can make a difference.
Already a Unified Champion School? Tell us your UCS Success Story!
