Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools is a strategy that activates youth with and without intellectual disabilities to come together as student leaders, athletes, and agents for inclusion within their school communities. Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools motivates all students to create environments full of respect, dignity, and advocacy for students with intellectual disabilities.

To be considered a Unified Champion School, schools choose one or more activities within each of the 3 core components below to introduce to their students during the school year. You may have some of these activities or similar activities in motion at your school already! There is no one-size fits all approach to what inclusion looks like at your school.

At the beginning of the school year, each participating school receives two posters and a certificate acknowledging that they have achieved the status of being a Unified Champion School! These posters can be displayed proudly within the hallways, cafeteria or gymnasium for all to see. Here is an introductory video to what the Unified Champion Schools strategy can look like at the Middle and High School levels.