Virginia Tech, a Special Olympics Unified Champion School, received national banner recognition Feb. 4 for the school's efforts to provide inclusive sports for that include persons with and without disabilities. This honor is a result of meeting 10 Special Olympics’ national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy and respect. Virginia Tech is the first university in the state to receive this honor.
Currently, Virginia Tech offers eight Unified Sports on campus and in the community, including Unified bocce, basketball, flag football and bowling. A Unified Leadership Council comprised of students and staff from athletics, intramurals, and campus organizations, together with Special Olympics athletes, plan and lead the Unified Sports leagues and social activities.
More about Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS): UCS 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: Special Olympics Unified Sports®, inclusive youth leadership, and whole school engagement.
In Virginia, more than 500 schools are engaged in UCS activities, with more than 8,000 engaged schools across the country.