Unified Strategy:  Special Olympics Unified Strategy for Schools®, a Program Making Positive Changes to Schools in Oklahoma.  Formerly called Project UNIFY®, Unified Strategy for Schools® provides significant positive outcomes for participants, and can play an important supporting role in state, district, and individual school strategic goals, whether it be promoting a positive school climate, developing physical fitness, building character, preventing bullying, enhancing student engagement and promoting and building student leadership skills. It is the connections between initiatives – along with the whole school’s involvement in the design and implementation of Unified Strategy® – that can foster a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all students. This program is funded by the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education (OSEP)."

                    

MISSION OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS OKLAHOMA

To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities,giving them continuous 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.

                    

UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS

Unified Champion Schools is an education and sports based program designed to build an inclusive environment among youth with and without disabilities, as well as empower them to become youth leaders and speak up for change in their community. Unified Champion Schools provides opportunities for students of all abilities to learn about each other’s strengths and celebrate ability differences through inclusive social, recreational, and fitness activities.

 

UNIFIED CHAMPION CLUB

The Unified Club is a unique school-based concept designed around empowering youth with and without intellectual disabilities to promote inclusiveness through a variety of athletic, social, and recreational projects and activities. Where Unified Champion Schools is youth-driven and led, these clubs are encouraged to design and implement their own projects involving “Spread the Word to End the Word” activities, Awareness campaigns,

 

Fans in the Stands, Special Olympics sports, inclusive activities and events in their schools, and communities.

                    

SPECIAL OLYMPIAN

An athlete with an intellectual disability who trains in a Special Olympics sport and who competes at least once in that sport at a Special Olympics Games or competition at any level (local, state, national, regional or world).

                           

COACH

A school district personnel with a sports background that serves as a resource to the Unified Club through assisting with Unified Sports.

                

UNIFIED PARTNER  

A general education person or club without intellectual disabilities who take part in UCS inclusive activities as a mentor, coach or volunteer for “unified” sports and activities.

                    

UNIFIED CLUB PARTNER

 A full or part time staff member, aide, or volunteer connected to the school that is responsible for ensuring UCS initiatives within the school community are carried out by the students, and serves as SOOK’s contact person. Responsibilities include management of  Unified Club meetings, execution of inclusive educational and/or athletic activities, adult liaison for securing funding, facilities, or equipment as needed, and ensure monthly reports and mid/year-end reports are completed by student leaders or themselves.

    

UNIFIED LIAISON

Staff member of parent volunteer that assist UCS team in any supporting role during competitive Olympic events and UCS initiatives.

 

UNIFIED SPORTS

Special Olympics is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability. Having sport in common is just one more way that preconceptions and false ideas are swept away. Young people with disabilities often do not get a chance to play on their school sports teams. More

and more U.S. states are adopting the Unified Sports approach that Special Olympics pioneered and making school sports much more inclusive.

 

SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD

The Spread the Word to End the Word campaign is designed to raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the “R-word” (retard or retarded) and urges people to resolve to stop using it as an insult, casual or intended comment.

                

FANS IN THE STANDS

Fans in the Stands is a program designed to encourage students to get a group of friends together and make posters and banners or organize a pep rally for the Special Olympics athletes at their school. It also encourages those students to attend a Special Olympics event to cheer on their classmates. This promotes unity and acceptance as well as teaches these students the true meaning of being a friend.

                    

YOUTH ACTIVATION COMMITTEE

The Youth Activation Committee (YAC) is a group of youth comprised of members with and without intellectual disabilities from across the state. This group works together throughout the year to educate, motivate, and activate youth to become agents of change in their communities and advocate for the respect, inclusion, and acceptance of all people regardless of abilities. The State YAC uses a wide variety of tools to communicate effectively such as email, conference calls, Facebook, state summits, and state

rallies. The goal of the State YAC is to reach out to other youth to help carry out social justice

for all people.  

 

YOUTH EXPOSED

Any youth with or without an intellectual disability who takes part in a Unified Champion School initiative such as an assembly/rally or a school wide UCS event. (i.e. R-Word rally, signing a pledge banner etc.)