Marlborough – Special Olympics Massachusetts has announced that Westborough 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. Westborough High School is receiving this honor for meeting national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy and respect. An award presentation will take place on a date to be determined.
Westborough High School will be amongst 15 schools to receive this distinction in Massachusetts this year, joining 26 schools previously recognized for a total of 41 National Banner Unified Champion Schools in the state. They will be presented with a banner to hang in their school and be included on a list of other schools around the country who have achieved this distinguished status.
“Receiving National Banner recognition is truly an outstanding and well-deserved achievement for these 15 schools. It shows that they have truly embraced what it means to be inclusive both on and off the playing field, in the classrooms and in their communities,” said Patti Doherty, director of schools and youth engagement for Special Olympics Massachusetts. “Not only do these schools offer Unified sports, youth leadership and whole school engagement within their school, but they have elevated it to the next level and have reached the standards of excellence set forth at a national level.”
More than 200 schools are currently participating in Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools programming in Massachusetts as part of more than 7,500 schools across the country engaged in the program. Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools aims to expand to 10,000 schools by the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
