Building Inclusive School Communities With Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools

Building Inclusive School Communities With Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools

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New Hampshire schools are moving toward a model of year-round social integration through the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® program. Rather than treating inclusion as a single annual event or a specialized classroom service, the program seeks to make inclusion a permanent part of school culture through sports, leadership, and school-wide engagement.

By becoming a Special Olympics Unified Champion School®, institutions join a statewide movement where students of all abilities learn, lead, play, and celebrate together. The program is designed to transform schools into communities where everyone is welcomed, valued, and included.

Four Pillars of the Unified Model

The Unified Champion Schools® framework is built upon four key components intended to create lasting inclusion:

  • Unified Sports®: Students with and without intellectual disabilities act as teammates to practice, compete, and build friendships.
  • Inclusive Youth Leadership: Students of all abilities have opportunities to collaborate, lead, and champion change within their schools.
  • Whole-School Engagement: The entire school community participates through shared experiences, celebrations, and awareness activities.
  • Sustainability: Schools develop traditions, partnerships, and programs to ensure inclusion continues year after year rather than functioning as a one-time event.

Program Opportunities for Middle and High Schools

Special Olympics New Hampshire provides resources for students at every grade level, with specific structures for different age groups. In middle schools, students can participate in Unified Basketball, Unified Fitness, and Unified PE to build teamwork. Middle schoolers can also engage in inclusive clubs, leadership roles, and activities such as Unified Sports Days or the Cool Schools Dip.

High school students can participate in three seasons of Unified Sports—including fall soccer, winter basketball, and spring volleyball or track & field—in partnership with the NHIAA. These students train and compete together on varsity-style teams. High school programming also includes Unified Clubs, where student leaders manage awareness campaigns, community projects, and events like pep rallies, Fans in the Stands, and Unified Field Days.

Building Inclusive School Communities With Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools

How Schools Sign the 2026–2027 Agreement

Schools interested in participating can take the first step toward integrating inclusion into their culture by signing the 2026–2027 Schools Agreement. Completed applications for the program may be returned to Leisa at [email protected].

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