The Wright City R-II School Board recognized the district’s Unified Champion program at its September meeting.

The program fosters inclusion, as students with and without disabilities learn together in the school’s classes, sports, and clubs, so all students feel valued, differences are celebrated and every student is made to feel they belong.

Wright City High School educators Jessica Twellman and Brittany Oberndorfer are the program’s coordinators.

“Students who may not always have the same opportunities to participate in traditional activities are now leaders, athletes and friends,” Twellman said. “Peers who once might not have interacted are now cheering each other on, encouraging one another and celebrating each other’s progress. We’ve already seen incredible growth in both our athletes and our partners. Students are building stronger social skills, developing leadership abilities, and most importantly, forming genuine relationships.”

There are three main goals for a unified school: inclusive sports through unified sports teams and activities with students of all abilities; inclusive youth leadership, student-led opportunities to promote inclusion and leadership; and whole school engagement, where school-wide events and activities celebrate inclusion.

Those goals are met at Wright City through: the Wildcat Time Youth Leadership, where students help run activities and promote inclusion; the Unified Champion physical education, where students with and without disabilities learn together; and whole school engagement through unified events, pep assemblies and awareness campaigns – with things such as posters, spirit days and social media efforts.

“Unified PE, students don’t just play side by side – they learn, grow and succeed as teammates,” Twellman said. “This course is designed to give all students meaningful opportunities to be physically active while building friendships, leadership skills and confidence. What makes Unified PE so powerful is the culture of inclusion it creates.”

At the meeting, Twellman discussed the next steps for the growth of the program.

Those include the expansion of unified classes, sports and club opportunities; an effort to continue building school-wide inclusive events; the plan to strengthen community partnerships by inviting other Unified Champion Schools to participate in events; and the expansion of the Unified program to the other schools in the district.

“Unified PE shows what is possible when we focus on ability, not disability,” Twellman said. “Our goal is for every student at Wright City to feel valued, included and capable of success.”

Wright City Principal Dr. Jason Theodorakos lauded the efforts of the program coordinators and added that the importance of such inclusion in the district can’t be understated.

He added that just getting the chance to be around the class brings him a personal measure of joy.

“It’s the one class I try my best to get by every day,” Theodorakos said. “It’s amazing to see the kids connect, and I really enjoy seeing how well they interact and what goes on. It’s a great group of students who work well together and, more than that, have become friends while doing it.”