“Special Olympics Unified Schools empowers youth and educators to be leaders of change. By playing and learning we will create a more inclusive world.” -Emerald Boyd/SDA - Unified Club
First things first; what is the Hoggard Unified Club?
I asked Cassidy Thompson, an avid member of the Unified Club to describe it, and she responded, “The Unified Club is an incredible opportunity for students to foster an inclusive school environment by building friendships with our special-needs Hoggard students. The club hosts fun events like basketball tournaments, holiday parties, and is involved with the annual Special Olympics.”
One event the club participates in is Unified track and field. Last year marked the first year for Hoggard. This is a sport program where students with and without intellectual disabilities train and compete together on a team. In some events, athletes are assigned a buddy to compete with, and this helps kids to grow in relationships with one another. Special Olympics North Carolina continues to grow Unified track and field throughout the state.
Cassidy reflected on her experience as Unified Team Co-Captain, stating, “Something really special about the team was that even though we were competing against other schools, we became friends with the Unified athletes at other schools in our conference.”
Recently, this unique club has received the honor of being named an ESPN Honor Roll high school for our work as a Special Olympics Unified Champion School. We are one of six schools in North Carolina to be awarded this honor. Our school has been recognized for creating inclusiveness, meeting the 10 Standards of Excellence, and can now be known as a Unified Champion School.
“If you love to have fun, inspire school spirit, and want to get to know a beautiful and dynamic part of our school community that you may not have interacted with before, you should join the Unified Club!”- Cassidy Thompson
The next time you walk into school, take a moment to look up and check out the bright red banner that proudly represents a new accomplishment for Hoggard!
Sources:
Boyd, Emerald. “Emerald Boyd/SDA - Unified Club.” Google Sites: Sign-In, sites.google.com/nhcs.net/emeraldraysda/unified-club. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
Staff, WECT. “Hoggard Named ESPN Honor Roll High School for Special Olympics Program.” Https://Www.Wect.Com, 18 Oct. 2023, www.wect.com/2023/10/18/hoggard-named-espn-honor-roll-high-school-special-olympics-program/.
“Interscholastic Unified Track and Field.” SONC, 7 Sept. 2023, sonc.net/sports-competitions/unified-sports/interscholastic-unified-track/.