Unified Champion Schools®
To ignite young people’s passion for our cause, we have to reach them where they most often are: school. At all grade levels, students’ lives revolve around their school and school activities. That is why we conceived Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® (SOUCS) as a school-based initiative to create opportunities for authentic social inclusion.
SONH aims to build a society of acceptance and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities and, by extension, for everyone. We know that sports training and competition can help achieve that goal. And we know that students – with their energy, idealism, intelligence and creativity – can be not only participants but also leaders in our mission.
Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® in New Hampshire consists of four components:
- Unified Sports® – provides opportunities for students with and without ID to participate on sports teams together as teammates.
- Inclusive Youth Leadership – provides opportunities for students with and without ID to take on leadership roles in promoting SOUCS in their schools and communities.
- Whole-School Engagement – provides opportunities for ALL students in their schools to participate in Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools activities.
- Sustainability – provides opportunities for long-term programming, ingrained in the fabric of a school. Grant money and fundraising opportunities are provided to support sustaining programming.
SONH offers a number of school-based programs that allow students the opportunity to participate in Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® throughout their school years.
Special Olympics Unified Middle Schools
At the Middle School level, our focus is on introducing students to Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools®. Students have the opportunity to participate in Unified Basketball, Unified Fitness, and Unified PE. Unified Basketball includes skill-building sessions and games against other school teams, giving students the chance to learn, compete, and have fun together. Unified Fitness and Unified PE provide inclusive, year-round opportunities for students with and without intellectual disabilities to work together toward shared health, wellness, and teamwork goals.
Students are also introduced to Youth Leadership and whole-school activities. They are encouraged to start inclusive clubs that raise awareness of Special Olympics and the Unified Champion Schools® program in their school and community through whole-school activities. Middle schools can also raise funds and awareness through participation in the Middle School Dip, and celebrate inclusion through Unified Sports/Field Days.
Special Olympics Unified High Schools
By high school, students’ involvement in Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® is in full swing. In collaboration with the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA), Special Olympics New Hampshire (SONH) offers three seasons of Unified Sports: fall (soccer), winter (basketball), and spring (volleyball and outdoor track). The joint NHIAA–SONH sports initiative gives high school students with and without intellectual disabilities the chance to proudly represent their school as members of a Unified Sports team, providing quality training, competition, and a true varsity-level experience. Unified teams practice, travel, and compete against other schools during the season, with the opportunity to play for an NHIAA High School Championship.
Unified Clubs meet regularly to promote Special Olympics in their high schools. A Statewide Youth Activation Committee, made up of student representatives from schools across the state, works to advance the Unified Champion Schools® movement and organizes regional networking events between schools and local programs in the area.
High schools participating in SOUCS also host a variety of whole-school engagement activities. Each season may feature pep rallies that include NHIAA Unified Sports teams, “Fans in the Stands” events where classmates cheer on their peers at games, Unified Sports/Field Days, and Spread the Word and initiatives through events, posters, and awareness/inclusion weeks. Many schools also raise funds and awareness by taking part in the High School Plunge, Prep School Plunge, and High School Dip.
Youth Activation Committee
The Youth Activation Committee (YAC) is an inspiring team of high school leaders with and without intellectual disabilities who work together as Unified pairs to make a difference in New Hampshire. As a YAC member, you’ll team up with other Unified pairs throughout the state to promote Unified sports, plan events and drive positive change in your school and community. If you’re excited about leadership and inclusion, fill out the form and join us in creating a world where everyone belongs!