Tonganoxie Middle School students detail Unified Champion School activities, inclusion work

Tonganoxie Middle School students and staff described their school’s new status as a Special Olympics Unified Champion School and outlined sports, leadership and inclusion activities supported by a small grant.

The presentation matters because the champion‑school model is designed to promote ongoing social inclusion for students with and without intellectual disabilities; district board members heard how the program operates in classrooms, physical education and extracurriculars.

Students Holland DeGeer and Reagan Thomas, identified themselves as eighth‑grade peer mentors and told the board the school’s program combines whole‑school engagement, unified sports and inclusive youth leadership. "We're super excited to talk to you guys about us being a champion school and all the stuff that we do," the student presenters told the board.

Presenters and teachers said the Unified Sports program includes Unified Soccer and Unified Basketball, where students with and without intellectual disabilities play together and students serve as peer mentors. Staff also described a Unified PE class in which peer mentors co‑design inclusive lessons; students gave the example of an obstacle course adapted to be wheelchair‑friendly.

The peer mentor program currently includes about 26 peer mentors, who help classmates in electives and general education classes, assist with community outings and run on‑campus jobs such as wiping tables, restocking refrigerators and cleaning tasks. The middle school presenters said the program has supported social connection: "Most importantly, our job as peer mentors is to make sure everybody in our school feels included," the students said.

Teachers and staff described a youth leadership summit hosted by Special Olympics in November that involved more than 80 students from about a dozen schools, and said Tonganoxie is one of the few middle schools participating in some Unified Sports events; the high school is already a champion school and the elementary and preschool programs are also pursuing champion‑school status.

Program funding includes a $2,000 grant the presenters said was awarded to support the Unified PE program. School staff described student fundraisers (including a "Warrior Cafe" and snack sales) and seasonal whole‑school projects such as kindness poster competitions, a "Deck the Doors with Kindness" contest and a community brick wall of kindness messages.

Board members praised the students’ presentation and the staff coordinating the program. The presentation drew no formal action items but provided the board with context the district will use to support expanded Unified Sports and youth leadership activities.

Speakers (first reference) Holland DeGeer, eighth‑grade peer mentor, Tonganoxie Middle School Reagan Thomas, eighth‑grade peer mentor, Tonganoxie Middle School Miss Bates, CBR teacher, Tonganoxie Middle School Miss Rowland, CBR teacher, Tonganoxie Middle School Parker Ost, CBR teacher, Tonganoxie High School

Clarifying details $2,000 — grant awarded to support Unified PE at Tonganoxie Middle School (presenters said the grant supports the Unified PE program).