Inclusive Sports

Ten years ago, a spark of inspiration at an Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAPHERD) conference transformed from a simple session led by Special Olympics into a movement that would eventually redefine the entire culture of our school. In January 2016, with the backing of our administration, the Unified program was born. What started as a modest vision for a single inclusive classroom has since become a multifaceted powerhouse of equity.

Today, it encompasses not only a premier physical education class but also competitive IHSA sports and the vibrant invention of Club Unify. Together, these branches have created an environment where the “invisible” barriers between students have vanished, ensuring that no student ever has to walk the hallways alone.

At the heart of our success is the Unified PE class. It is a laboratory for empathy and leadership that brings together a diverse group of athletes from our Life Skills, Instructional, CC, and ED programs with our dedicated peer partners. These partners, composed of sophomores, juniors, and seniors, are chosen through an application process to maintain the integrity and spirit of the program. We carefully evaluate each applicant’s grades, attendance, and teacher recommendations to ensure they are truly committed to the mission. Each peer partner who accepts a spot acknowledges through a signed contract that they aren’t just there to play games; they are there to mentor, support, and grow alongside their peers for the entire year.

Shelly Stoner, Abby Tyra, and Stacey Seals at their state basketball tournament.

If you want to see the “gold standard” of inclusion, look no further than our gymnasium walls, where we proudly display our National Banner Recognition. We are one of a few schools nationwide to receive this honor multiple times, earning our first banner in 2020 and our most recent in 2025. This prestigious award from Special Olympics is a testament to our meeting high standards of school-wide engagement and inclusive youth leadership. Our results are best measured not in trophies, however, but in our daily buddy system. By ensuring our students share the same lunch periods or homerooms, we have successfully moved inclusion out of the 45-minute PE class period and into the daily fabric of student life. Whether it is our annual gift exchange or high-fives in the hall between classes, the “Unified” label has become a core part of our school’s identity.

Within the Unified PE setting, we operate under the belief that “fair” doesn’t mean everyone gets the same thing, but rather everyone gets what they need to succeed. Our curriculum is diverse and adaptive, ranging from high-energy movement-like tag games, inflatables, and scavenger hunts to critical thinking exercises such as escape rooms and puzzles. We also prioritize community immersion through field trips to Blue Ridge Community Farm, local sporting events such as Peoria Chiefs and Rivermen games, and partnerships with the Bradley University Unified Program.

In partnership with Special Olympics Illinois (SOILL) and the IHSA, our sports have expanded significantly to include soccer, bowling, track, competitive basketball, and esports. Beyond official state brackets, we maintain a vibrant “Mid-Illini” network where we face off against rival schools in volleyball, kickball, basketball, and cheerleading. These events often culminate in massive social gatherings that the students look forward to all year, such as our Unified Sports Day, the Halloween Dance, and the beloved “Love Bug Ball” for Valentine’s Day. These social milestones provide a platform for our athletes and partners to celebrate their hard work and build memories that last a lifetime.

Recognizing that not every student can fit the Unified PE class into a demanding schedule, we created Club Unify to allow the entire student body to engage with our mission. Through monthly meetings, the club fosters a sense of belonging by organizing holiday parties and creating Thanksgiving cards and friendship bracelets. The club also manages significant school events, such as “Haunted Hallways,” homecoming floats, and inclusive tailgates, as well as a bag tournament that benefits Easterseals. These initiatives ensure that the spirit of the Unified program reaches the entire campus, involving students who might otherwise not have had the opportunity to participate.

Another way we foster leadership and engage our entire student body in our mission is through schoolwide initiatives. These include assemblies, spirit days, disability awareness activities, and a week-long Respect Campaign. During this campaign, students sign a banner as they take the Special Olympics pledge to choose inclusion. Through these experiences, students also take part in efforts to end bullying, reach out to those who may feel left out or isolated, and make a daily commitment to kindness.

Success and growth naturally bring their own set of challenges. Scheduling conflicts remain our primary hurdle, as many peer partners are involved in rigorous academic tracks that make a full-year commitment difficult to manage. Additionally, as the program continues to grow in popularity, our “wish list” for adaptive equipment and funding for more frequent field trips continues to expand. We are constantly looking for creative ways to ensure that financial or logistical barriers never stand in the way of a student’s ability to participate in these life-changing experiences.

Ultimately, meeting these challenges requires a relentless team effort and constant communication. The program survives and thrives because of the collaboration between special education teachers, paraprofessionals, administration, parents, coaches, and the broader community. This network of support ensures that our athletes have everything they need to be successful both in and out of the classroom. As we look toward the next ten years, our goal remains as simple and powerful as it was in 2016: to ensure that every student, regardless of ability, feels the pride of being part of the team.