Inclusive Sports

Hunter High School in West Valley City, Utah, is a National Banner Unified Champion School within Special Olympics Unified Sports®. To earn this designation, schools must meet 10 standards across the categories of Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership, whole school engagement, and sustainability. According to Special Olympics (www.generationunified.org), there are 12,247 Champion Schools in the United States, providing opportunities for children of all ages and abilities. The honor of becoming a National Banner Unified Champion School is achieved through years of hard work and dedication by coaches and students.

The full list of standards can be seen at: z.umn.edu/391-jc1.

When Ashley Ellis envisioned a Unified program at Hunter, she didn’t realize the change it would create in the school and the surrounding community. Adaptive PE programs in our area had diminished over the years and disappeared completely from our school, which led to the beginning of our Unified journey. In 2019, the first Unified class began at Hunter High as a physical education class designed to integrate special education students with their general education peers. This class blossomed into so much more for all of the students. Today, we hold state championships in multiple Special Olympics sports. And in our hallways, students with disabilities mingle with friends of all abilities and social groups.

Hunter High School Unified Team

Coach Ellis strives to create opportunities that bring unique life and leadership opportunities to our general education population. Before this program, heads were down in the hallways and interaction among students with and without disabilities was non-existent. Now, general education students tell us they get as much or more out of this program as their peers with disabilities do.

The program has evolved from one physical education class to an array of offerings that allow students to meet peers outside their typical circles. In addition to the growth in programming, the Unified experience builds empathy and creates a deeper sense of equity. There was a time when students with disabilities remained largely isolated. At Hunter High, those days are gone. Today, Unified students sit together, laughing and socializing, like any other group of friends. This is all thanks to one woman with the drive to create an opportunity for students.

Today, if you were to eat lunch at Hunter High, you would see our Unified students in the commons spending time with their friends, just like any other kid at school. The inclusive environment that Unified has brought to life at Hunter is a special sight to see. The program’s success has gained recognition throughout the district. Other schools now look to Hunter High as a model for building inclusive communities of their own.

Beyond sports, Unified students can take courses in theater, art, health, food and nutrition, and swimming. We plan to continue evolving the offerings. As a special educator, I have seen how Unified changes students’ lives. As the parent of a Unified athlete, I see how it helps my daughter maintain friendships and achieve a sense of purpose in her life. The future of Unified in our school works to push boundaries and write the story for many of our students; we are paving the way for future Hunter High students to enjoy what this program has to offer.

Ryan Wadsworth, a Unified partner, told me that Unified has made a significant difference in his life, helping him view disability differently than he did before. He said the experience helped him see abilities rather than focusing on disability, and how good life can be if we put aside differences.

Many partner athletes share this sentiment and consider themselves lucky to be part of such an amazing organization. Long term, they will go on to lead lives that exemplify unity and acceptance as they enter adulthood. Unified is more than a program—it is a movement that is redefining what it means to belong.