Hilo High School Earns Special Olympics Recognition

Hilo High School on Hawai‘i Island is one of three schools in the state recognized for their efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without disabilities.

The other schools presented with a national banner are Farrington High School on O‘ahu and Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School on Kaua‘i.

All three schools received this honor as a result of meeting national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy and respect.

On Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, Hilo High School was presented with a banner to hang in their school and will be included on a list of other schools around the country who have achieved this distinguished status.

More than 46 schools are currently participating in Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools programming in Hawai‘i as part of more than 5,000 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 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.

Hilo High School courtesy photo.

Hilo High School courtesy photo.

Hilo High School courtesy photo.

Hilo High School courtesy photo.

Hilo High School courtesy photo.