Special Olympics Oregon has announced that Newport High School, a Special Olympics Unified Champion School, is receiving national banner recognition for its efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without disabilities. Newport High School is receiving this honor as a result of meeting national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect. An award presentation took place at the school on October 4, 2019.  (Photos attached of assembly)

Newport High School will be amongst a select number of schools to receive this distinction. They were presented with a banner to hang in their school and are included on a list of other schools around the country who have achieved this distinguished status.

“I’d like to congratulate Newport High School – their administration, teachers, and students – on such an important honor Unified Champion Schools are one of the most important investments we can make in young people. It is impossible to quantify the impact made by schools where the students are the voice for promoting inclusion and respect,” said Britt Oase, Special Olympics Oregon CEO.

“Since becoming a Unified school, the Newport Leadership students have committed to championing the cause of inclusion. The result has been many school activities attended and enjoyed by large and diverse populations. Students view one another as Cubs and encourage one another along with a great deal of support for Unified activities. Inclusion has grown and school culture has improved. Leadership and the ECEL program have forged a partnership that is benefiting all of Newport High.” Adam Scarberry, Assistant Principal and Leadership Teacher.

“As a special education teacher, it is so amazing to watch my students be accepted and valued for the wonderful people they are. The fact that we get acknowledge for the culture and attitude this whole school team has created is just an added bonus. The best part is seeing all of our students feel free to join, contribute and appreciated in all that we have to offer them.” Jill Sellers, Special Education Teacher.

“Newport High School has helped me to become a better person.” Brittney Carley, student

“Everyone is nice to everyone. Everyone is included in everything. Newport High School makes me want to try more things.” Harley Lyberis, student

When Luke Losier, senior at NHS, was asked about his experience on the Unified Basketball Team, he replied, “I really liked how positive everyone was on the team. I really loved it! It was a lot of fun!”

More than 120 schools are currently participating in Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools programming in Oregon as part of more than 6,500 schools across the country engaged in the program. Special Olympics has a global goal of creating 10,000 Unified Champion Schools by 2020.

The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® model is supported by the U.S. 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 providing students with and without disabilities the opportunity to form positive social relationships and promote a socially inclusive school climate*. Key data points include:

• 84% of students regard participation in the program as a turning point in their lives.
• 72% of involved teachers believe participation in the program has increased the confidence of students with disabilities.
• 88% credit the program with reducing bullying and teasing in their schools.

A Special Olympics Unified Champion School has an inclusive school climate and exudes a sense of collaboration, engagement, and respect for all members of the student body and staff. A Unified Champion School receiving national banner recognition is one that has demonstrated a commitment to inclusion by meeting 10 national standards of excellence. These standards were developed by a national panel of leaders from Special Olympics and the education community.

The primary activities within these standards include Special Olympics Unified Sports^® (where students with and without disabilities train and compete as teammates), Inclusive Youth Leadership and Whole-School Engagement. National banner schools should also be able to demonstrate they are self-sustainable or have a plan in place to sustain these activities into the future.

*Evaluation conducted by the Center for Social Development and Education (CSDE) at the University of Massachusetts Boston

About Newport High School
Newport High School won the Oregon Unified Champion designation in 2017. The Newport High School has had a longstanding relationship with the Special Olympics.

About Special Olympics Oregon

Special Olympics Oregon serves more than 14,000 participants with intellectual disabilities year-round and state-wide through the organization’s life-changing sports programs. Athletes gain self-confidence, social competency, 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. Learn more at www.soor.org.

Olimpiadas Especiales Oregon ha anunciado que Newport High School, una Escuela Campeona Unificada de Olimpiadas Especiales, está recibiendo reconocimiento nacional por sus esfuerzos para proporcionar deportes inclusivos y actividades para estudiantes con y sin discapacidades.

Newport High School está recibiendo este honor como resultado de cumplir con los estándares nacionales de excelencia en las áreas de inclusión, defensa y respeto. La entrega de premios tuvo lugar en la escuela el 4 de octubre de 2019. Newport High School estará entre un número selecto de escuelas para recibir esta distinción.

“Me gustaría felicitar a Newport High School, su administración, maestros y estudiantes, por un honor tan importante. Las Escuelas Unificadas de Campeón son una de las inversiones más importantes que podemos hacer en los jóvenes. Es imposible cuantificar el impacto de las escuelas donde los estudiantes son la voz para promover la inclusión y el respeto “, dijo Britt Oase, CEO de Special Olympics Oregon.

“Desde que se convirtió en una escuela unificada, los estudiantes de Liderazgo de Newport se han comprometido a defender la causa de la inclusión. El resultado ha sido muchas actividades escolares atendidas y disfrutadas por poblaciones grandes y diversas.

Los estudiantes se ven entre sí como Cachorros y se animan mutuamente junto con un gran apoyo para las actividades unificadas. La inclusión ha crecido y la cultura escolar ha mejorado. Liderazgo y el programa ECEL han forjado una asociación que beneficia a todo Newport High ”.

Adam Scarberry, subdirector y maestro de liderazgo. “Como maestra de educación especial, es increíble ver a mis alumnos ser aceptados y valorados por las maravillosas personas que son. El hecho de que recibamos reconocimiento por la cultura y la actitud que ha creado todo este equipo escolar es solo una ventaja adicional. La mejor parte es ver a todos nuestros estudiantes sentirse libres de unirse, contribuir y apreciar todo lo que tenemos para ofrecerles ”.

Jill Sellers, maestra de educación especial. “Newport High School me ha ayudado a ser una mejor persona”.