GTJHS Receives National Banner Recognition as Special Olympics Unified Champion School
Special Olympics Maryland has announced that Governor Thomas Johnson High School, a school with Special Olympics Unified Champion School® programming, is receiving national banner recognition for its efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without intellectual disabilities. Governor Thomas Johnson High School is receiving this distinguished status as a result of meeting 10 national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect. A national panel of leaders from Special Olympics and the education community developed these standards.
The primary activities within these standards include sports, leadership, and whole school engagement opportunities for students with and without intellectual disabilities. The result is a school environment that promotes inclusion and respect for all. National banner schools should also demonstrate they are self-sustainable or have a plan in place to sustain these activities into the future.
“As the Coordinator of Athletics at Governor Thomas Johnson High School, I’ve seen firsthand the incredible impact Unified Sports has on our school community. These programs promote inclusion, build confidence, and showcase the true spirit of sportsmanship. Our student-athletes—both with and without intellectual disabilities—develop lifelong friendships, leadership skills, and a deeper understanding of teamwork. Unified Sports has transformed our athletic culture, proving that when everyone plays, we all win.” -Mike Chavez
The Unified Champion Schools® model is a strategy for schools Pre-K through university that intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create accepting school environments, utilizing three interconnected components: Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole school engagement. More than 21 million inclusive experiences are taking place through Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® programming.
Maryland, the founding place of Special Olympics, has more than 270 schools currently participating in Unified Champion Schools® programming, as part of more than 10,000 schools across the country including 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
The Unified Champion Schools® model is supported by the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. This model has been proven, through research, to be an effective and replicable means to provide students with and without disabilities the opportunity to form positive social relationships and promote a socially inclusive school climate.
Frederick News Post: Special Olympics Recognizes TJ High for School's Support Of Unified Sports