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Millard recognizes six Unified Champion Schools and dozens of student athletic achievements
Summary
Millard Public Schools presented Unified Champion School banners to six buildings and honored student state champions and standout athletes across swimming, wrestling, bowling, robotics and girls basketball during a student showcase segment of the board meeting.
Millard Public Schools recognized six schools that earned Special Olympics Unified Champion School banners and honored student athletic and extracurricular achievements during the board’s student showcase segment.
Superintendent Dr. Todd Schwartz and Dr. Carrie Novotny Buss introduced the banner presentations, praising the district’s emphasis on inclusive activities and unified sports. Dr. Novotny Buss called the recognition “a deep commitment to creating schools where every student belongs” and led the Special Olympics oath with the assembled honorees.
The board recognized six buildings that achieved the Unified Champion School distinction (listed in the presentation): Cody Elementary; Beetle (Beadle?) Middle School; Central Middle School; Millard North Middle School; Millard West High School; and Millard North High School. The transcript notes some schools received their first banner and others a second recognition. District staff said Nebraska has more than 1,300 public and private schools technically eligible for the designation and that only 38 schools statewide have received the recognition to date.
Individual student and team recognitions during the showcase included: - Swimming: Leah Inman (Millard North) — 50 freestyle state champion; among Nebraska all-time top-10 in several events. Mason Zedina (Millard South) — state titles in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly; multiple school records and national ranking acknowledgments; signed with University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO). - Wrestling: Multiple state champions and undefeated season achievements highlighted from Millard North, Millard South and other middle schools; notable athletes included Mason Masters, Logan Glenn (Millard South), Kiernan Mink (unable to attend), and several middle-school standouts. - Girls wrestling: Millard West celebrated Sofia Hogemeyer as the NSAA Girls State 135 Class A champion (sophomore). - Bowling: Andan Sutter (Millard West) recognized as the district’s first state bowling champion since the NSAA recognized bowling as a sport. - Middle school robotics: Millard North Middle School VEX IQ teams (Project Artemis, Purple Spinners, Blue Team, Gold Team) received awards including judges’ and design awards; the gold team qualified for the VEX Worlds competition in approximately six weeks. - Middle school girls basketball: Russell Middle School’s eighth-grade team was recognized after a 10–1 season and a conference championship; coaches reported seven players on distinguished honor roll and three on the Rotary honor roll.
District and Special Olympics representatives thanked coaches, coordinators and volunteers who supported unified activities across the district’s 35 buildings. Dr. Novotny Buss and staff singled out Nebraska Special Olympics staff and district coordinators who supported the effort.
Why it matters: The Unified Champion School program is intended to increase inclusion, joint leadership and shared athletics opportunities for students with and without intellectual disabilities. District leaders framed the recognitions as evidence of a schoolwide culture of belonging and cited the cross-building staff effort required to reach the standards for the banner.
The presentation was largely ceremonial; no policy changes or formal votes were associated with the banner recognitions.
