The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Special Olympics a grant to implement a proposal called Project UNIFY, which seeks to bring together youth with and without intellectual disabilities through sports and other inclusive activities. Youth are the key to achieving the societal goal of acceptance, and schools play an essential role in attaining that goal. With schools as the catalyst, Project UNIFY focuses on endeavors that change the educational climate toward one of acceptance by promoting friendship, physical fitness, and fostering positive peer relationships. Special Olympics Texas has chosen to focus our efforts on middle school age youth, with a goal to engage at least 50 currently participating or new schools in a Project UNIFY program called "Meet in the Middle".
"Meet in the Middle" targets the growth and development of interactive, inclusive, supportive activities promoting Special Olympics initiatives between typically developing students and students with intellectual disabilities.
Year 2 of the project will be an expanded version for returning schools which will offer unique opportunities for team work, challenges, excitement and fun.
Target
- Identify 3 middle schools per Educational Service Center (roughly aligned to the SOTX areas). This would amount to 60 middle schools across the state.
- Develop a "Meet in the Middle" team per school
- Administrator
- PE Coach
- Special Education Teacher
- APE/Special Olympics Coach
- Two female and two male students (two from general population, two with intellectual disabilities)
- (optional: parent)
Meet in the Middle Program Concept
The goal will be to create a program from which a menu of possible activities can be presented. Schools can select some or all of the activities as part of their Meet in the Middle participation. The activities will focus on the three priority areas that are focuses for all school administrators: FitnessGram, School Morale and Attendance, TAKs and TAKs Alt.
Students will "enroll/commit" in/to the program and log hours and their activities for credit. By enrolling, the student receives a Meet in the Middle bracelet that indicates their involvement.
Incentive: Individual student incentives are available and there will be additional items awarded at the end of the project. Schools which do particularly well will be allowed to create their own end of project celebration that includes a Youth Rally or Youth Forum.
FitnessGram - Sample Activities:
Unified Sports
Partner PE or Peer Buddies
Fitness Pledge
Value: Students would get credit for the level of the fitness program that they log as part of these activities.
Morale/Attendance – Sample Activities:
Signature Campaign around the R-word
Fans in the Stands
Value: Individuals signing the petition receive a R-word sticker. Credit will be given for the percent of total school involvement. A grant will pay for a "thermometer" type display that will track the number of signatures. Fans in the Stands – credit would be given for the number of students who go to a Special Olympics event cheer on their school Special Olympics team.
TAKs/TAKs Alt – Sample Activities:
Start a letter writing campaign to either state of federal government (need theme for letters).
Prompt for "Practice TAKS" writing exam centered on R-word theme
Create video loop for intra-school viewing around the R-word. Videos will be judged at the end of the campaign and the winner featured on the SOTX website.
Conduct an essay contest (selected winners would go to state legislative day).
Implement SOGII Curriculum.
Value: Students would get credit for participating in either the letter writing campaign, video production or the essay contest. Schools implementing the SOGII curriculum will receive credit.
