Youth Activation Committee
Young people with and without intellectual disabilities are leading their schools and communities toward a more inclusive future. By providing training, funding, and other resources, Special Olympics supports Youth Leaders across the globe.
Special Olympics Michigan Unified Champion Schools is an education and sports-based strategy powered by an engaged student community that breaks down the barriers that separate students with and without intellectual disabilities.
The Unified movement activates youth, engages educators, and promotes school communities of acceptance and inclusion where all young people are agents of change. It aims to increase athletic and leadership opportunities for students with and without intellectual disabilities.
The three components of Unified Champion Schools are Inclusive Student Leadership, Unified Sports, and Whole School Engagement. All three areas are crucial to shift the culture of a school towards inclusion.
Here is how you can be a part of the movement:
- Plan an event any time during the year.
- Join thousands of students throughout the United States in helping to Spread the Word to End the Word.
- Take the pledge to not use the R-word and encourage your friends at school and on Facebook to take the pledge.
- Get a group of students and friends and support fundraisers like the Unified Champion Schools Youth Plunge or SOMI.
- Join the UCS MI Liaison Facebook Community
- Join our UCS Monthly Newsletter
Welcome Back and Welcome Interested Schools -
our staff welcome video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARlOKJbURY
A Catalyst for Change
Unified Champion Schools (UCS)
Unified Champion City Schools (UCCS)
- Inclusive Student Leadership
Inclusive student leadership is an all-embracing leadership club for every student leading their school in the advancement of inclusion. - Sports
Unified Sports bring together students with and without intellectual disabilities as teammates training and competing together in inclusive sports. - Whole School Engagement
Whole School Engagement promote inclusion and bullying prevention to an entire school population through engaging, creative and interactive events.
We understand how important it is for Special Olympics Michigan to collaborate with educators to identify what role Unified Champion Schools can play in meeting state, district. and individual school's strategic goals; whether it is promoting school climate, developing physical fitness, building character, preventing bullying; enhancing student engagement, or any other important school reform.
A Unified Champion School has an understanding that this is not just an incident or event that happens for one day, or a single experience, but rather year-long in all seasonal activities. In a Unified Champion School there is an expectation that acceptance and inclusion are everyday occurrences that change entire schools and impact the whole student body.
HOW TO BECOME A UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOL
- Complete the UCS Interest Form
- Meet with UCS Coordinator to discuss options and plans
- Submit UCS budget (after meeting with UCS Coordinator)
- Return signed school agreement
- Time to make your school UNIFIED!
We love to hear about your success, events, and more. To share with other liaisons across the state, gain new ideas, and network feel free to join our UCS MI Liaison Facebook Community
UCS EVENTS CALENDAR
2022-2023
This year, we put together a live & up-to-date calendar of UCS Calendar Events we have coming up, due dates, etc. We will be sure to include any necessary registration links, locations, and information for each one. We will be include this calendar on every newsletter from now on so you are able to see what opportunities we have coming up!
Add calendarwiz.com/somiucs to your bookmarks to always have access to this live calendar view or
SCAN the QR code to go to live UCS Calendar
2023 State Summer Games Unified Day UCS contact : margaret.delorenzo@somi.org
May 31st Unified Bocce, June 1-2 Unified Volleyball
March 6 - Confirm plan to participate
March 20 - Final Roster Due ROSTER SUBMISSION CLOSED
April 3 - All forms and certifications due (send to margaret.delorenzo@somi.org)
April 3 - Unified Volleyball TEQ due - TEQ Link: https://forms.gle/
omBvC6q44NAhyADv6 May 1 - Qualifying Scores/Times due for individual and team sports - 3 scores due
Vball Single Score Submission: https://forms.gle/
Tu8hC9eZ8CPGzr5t6 Vball Multi Score Submission: https://forms.gle/
ncr2SDWHpZes2Mip9 BOCCE Rules and Information: go to Resource Tab on this Somi.org webpage, put "Bocce" in search area on middle left
May 1 - Final drops verified
May 15 - Competition schedule finalized
SOMI No longer accepts MHSAA Physical forms.
Athlete Medical Form : https://medform.specialolympics.org/
Coaches & Chaperones must use the online Volunteer Management System (VMS) A 4:1 ratio is required.
VMS https://sosaas.azurewebsites.net/MI/application
All LINKS and FORMS - Scroll down to RESOURCE GROUP " Registered UCS Schools - SPORT Event FORMS Available Here"
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE 2023 COOL SCHOOLS SEASON A GREAT SUCCESS!!!
Grosse Pointe High School, March 3 (Grosse Pointe Park)
Zeeland East High School, March 6
West Bloomfield High School, March 7 a.m.
Northville High School, March 7 p.m.
Haslett High School, March 8
Holland Christian High School, March 9
UCS Sample Plans & Budgets to Get Started
Unified Bocce on-site at your Unified School