unified

Pioneer School District is among four Western New York schools and 13 across the state that have been added to the roster of National Banner Unified Champion Schools, Special Olympics New York President and CEO Stacy Hengsterman announced.

Pioneer joins Fredonia and Amherst as first-time banner programs. Renewed for another four-year term is Starpoint High School in Pendleton.

Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools provide for inclusion of students with special needs in physical education courses and on sports teams. The announcement noted that many schools are adding fall Unified Sports, including bocce, soccer and flag football.

Pioneer, through the support of administration, faculty, students, and community, currently offers students the opportunity to join the Unified Club, Unified Bowling, and Unified Basketball. Unified has also participated in the Polar Plunge and the Buffalo Bowl, a flag football tournament held at Highmark Stadium in which they took first place last year.

The Unified Bowling team won its division this past year and took second place in the Sectional tournament in its first year. Unified Basketball will be participating in its seventh year, and look forward to winning its first sectional title.

The Unified Club has sponsored many events in the high school, some of which include Military Appreciation Day, Disability Awareness Week, scavenger hunt, and Christmas cookie decorating.

In all, there are 36 Banner schools statewide. For more information, visit specialolympicsny.org/unified.