March Impact on Inclusion Award: Ozark High School
Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® is founded on a three-component model: inclusive sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole school engagement. Just like last month, this Special Olympics Arkansas UCS school is taking the whole school engagement component to the next level!
Senior Night is hosted by most schools in the nation to recognize their graduating seniors’ accomplishments in sports. It is typically reserved for athletes on the varsity team, but a Unified partner felt that ALL seniors including those on their school’s Unified basketball team should have the same recognition.
Special Olympics Aransas Youth Activation Committee member and Unified partner, Kennedy Tedford, from Ozark High School approached her school’s principal to request that Special Olympics athletes at their school also be recognized during Senior Night. An ask that was quickly approved by the school’s principal and athletic director.
Ozark High School’s Special Olympics athletes were announced and they proudly walked onto the basketball court alongside the senior varsity basketball players. Ozark High School is taking the initiative to not only participate in Unified sports with Special Olympics Arkansas but also provide them the same opportunities given to their varsity athletes. This one step towards inclusion can be the steppingstone for other Special Olympics Arkansas Unified Champion Schools to provide the same opportunities for the Special Olympics athletes in their school!
If you would like your school to get involved with Unified Champion Schools, reach out to Jennifer Edwards.
Senior Night is hosted by most schools in the nation to recognize their graduating seniors’ accomplishments in sports. It is typically reserved for athletes on the varsity team, but a Unified partner felt that ALL seniors including those on their school’s Unified basketball team should have the same recognition.
Special Olympics Aransas Youth Activation Committee member and Unified partner, Kennedy Tedford, from Ozark High School approached her school’s principal to request that Special Olympics athletes at their school also be recognized during Senior Night. An ask that was quickly approved by the school’s principal and athletic director.
Ozark High School’s Special Olympics athletes were announced and they proudly walked onto the basketball court alongside the senior varsity basketball players. Ozark High School is taking the initiative to not only participate in Unified sports with Special Olympics Arkansas but also provide them the same opportunities given to their varsity athletes. This one step towards inclusion can be the steppingstone for other Special Olympics Arkansas Unified Champion Schools to provide the same opportunities for the Special Olympics athletes in their school!
If you would like your school to get involved with Unified Champion Schools, reach out to Jennifer Edwards.
Published January 2025
