Graduate students in the College of Education, Health Sciences, and Human Services (from left): Charlie Shields, majoring in Literacy Education (Birth-12), of Canandaigua, NY; and Holly Rohrbach, Avon, NY; Macy Short, Dryden, NY; and Alissa Dixon, East Aurora, NY, all majoring in Curriculum and Instruction Inclusive Education, helped to conduct the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools summit.

Approximately 250 students, teachers and staff from 16 high schools attended the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools summit held recently at SUNY Fredonia.

Full of students, educators and volunteers, the Steele Hall fieldhouse was buzzing with activity. The event served as a way to kick off the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program for the school year.

“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,” according to the Special Olympics website.

Teams from the local high schools ranged in size from under 10 participants to over 40 individuals.

Volunteers from SUNY Fredonia – students and staff alike – helped the event run smoothly by managing and leading various stations throughout the day. Teams played bocce and soccer and enjoyed nature hikes. They also visited informational stations about future careers, connecting with music and building meaningful friendships.

Additionally, SUNY Fredonia’s Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences offered free hearing screenings to any student, faculty and staff member from the participating schools. In total, 33 screenings took place. The Freddy Blue Devil mascot also paid students a visit.