On Thursday, February 29, University Hills Elementary School was honored with a banner as part of the recognition of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS).
University Hills is also being named the top UCS school in New Mexico for the 2022-2023 school year as well as one of the Top 50 UCS schools in the country.
University Hills has met and exceeded 10 standards of excellence centered around inclusive sports, youth leadership, and whole school engagement.
Through the UCS program as well as various other endeavors from staff and administration, the University Hills team has created a welcoming and accepting school environment where all students can thrive.
About Unified Champion Schools® (UCS) in New Mexico:
In this grant based program, students with and without disabilities play sports together, build social emotional skills, develop youth leadership skills, and work towards creating an inclusive school environment. As of the 2023-2024 school year, there are 53 New Mexico schools who participate in the Unified Champion Schools program. The schools host competitions of various sizes where students can play a selected sport together while their peers cheer them on. The goal of the program is to help schools build inclusive environments while strengthening the abilities of students rather than their disabilities. This program increases student friendships, reduces bullying in schools, and increases student self-efficacy.
About Special Olympics New Mexico:
Special Olympics New Mexico provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Today, Special Olympics New Mexico serves more than 3,200 athletes, offering training and competition in 12 sports. Special Olympics New Mexico is sponsored year-round and statewide by New Mexico True, Law Enforcement Torch Run, Chick-fil-A, Legacy Church, Chevrolet, BlueCross BlueShield of New Mexico, Rudy’s “Country Store and Bar-B-Q”, and French Funerals & Cremations.
Learn more about Special Olympics New Mexico at: https://sonm.org
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