East Ridge High School is proud to be a Special Olympics Unified School. Our Unified Club is aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change. Implementation of the Unified Strategy for Schools in the United States is the three component model of programming known as a Unified Champion School and includes inclusive youth leadership, whole school awareness, and inclusive sports.
Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools, formerly Project UNIFY®, bring together students with and without intellectual disabilities through education, sports and youth leadership to provide them with the knowledge, attitudes and skill necessary to create and sustain school communities that promote acceptance, respect and human dignity.
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Activities and opportunities provided through the program help to reduce bullying and exclusion, promote healthy activity and interactions, combat stereotypes and stigma, eliminate hurtful language in schools and engage people in social activities that lead to personal growth.
Special Olympics Unified Schools empowers youth and educators to be leaders of change.
By playing and learning we will create a more inclusive world.
OUR CLUB
WHOLE SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT
Awareness and education activities that promote inclusion and reach the majority of the school population. Examples include such things as Spread the Word to End the Word (R-Word) Campaigns, Pep Rallies or “Fans in the Stands”
for Unified Sports teams, Respect Campaigns or student fundraising.
A fully-inclusive sports or fitness program that combines an approximately equal number
of students with and without intellectual disabilities.
Examples include such things as: Interscholastic Unified Sports, Unified PE or Unified Intramurals.
Special Olympics Unified Sports and Special Olympics Young Athletes are examples of inclusive sports.
INCLUSIVE SPORTS
INCLUSIVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP
Students with and without intellectual disabilities working together to lead and plan advocacy, awareness, inclusion
and other Special Olympics and related inclusive activities throughout the school year.