One of Stoughton High School’s (SHS) unique clubs, Unified Club, has seen success this school year. The club is part of Special Olympics Unified Schools, an organization that brings students with and without intellectual disabilities together through sports and leadership. Its main goal is to create a school culture where everyone feels valued and not separated by ability.
Unified Club advisor Megan Blankenheim-Villarreal agrees that we need more recognition within our building, “I think the relationships that are formed with our unified time [during flex] have bled over into classrooms. So when peers are together, they have that peer support naturally,” Blankenheim-Villarreal said.
While many clubs focus on meetings and structured activities, Unified Club enjoys its time playing games. Oftentimes, there is a peer buddy and an athlete, which is a relationship that not only builds connection but also memories. “I would say the buddy aspect is kind of a big part because it makes sure that they stay engaged around school,” Blankenheim-Villarreal said. “Outside of the club, we see students conversing such as saying hello, in the hallways or during lunch. As well as during the dance, in which they’ve come together and partners tend to be in groups.”
A huge part of these connections begins in the gym, where over time groups grow in size. “We play a bunch of games and we make sure everyone wants to do what they wish and not doing it just because one person wanted to,” Sophomore and member of unified Era Hoxha said. “Just because some bonds are stronger than others we split it up into groups but once in a while we mix it up and keep everyone in a big group.”
Unified also participates in special events, such as attending the NFL draft in Green Bay last year, in which students pretend to be NFL players for a day and doing drills with the actual football team, “The kids still talk about it, [student] Caleb still asks when we’re going back as they wish it was a yearly thing,” Blankenheim-Villarreal said. “Otherwise it weaves in, we do activities such as bowling, watching movies on the MPR with food and every now and then we collaborate with Oregon’s group in which this year we will be going back.”
With smiles and involvement, this club has also brought many favorite activities among unified athletes. What sophomore Evan Joshton enjoys the most are participating in pickleball and basketball. While sophomores Riley Fitzgerald and Mickey both enjoy the bowling field trips but what they also love the most are delivering drinks or passes to teachers every Friday.
“My favorite part is building bonds and getting to hang out with everybody by doing activities because in my regular classes I do get to do that.” Sophomore and Unified member Adeline Schumacher said. “Activities such as parachuting or flag football form many smiles on their faces and you can see how well along they get with each other, it [entirely] picks up my day.”
As the year has progressed, growth among members has been noticeable. “From their first days in the gym to now, it’s amazing how much they’ve grown and how much effort they put into meeting new people and how comfortable they've gotten is amazing to see,” Hoxha said. “Being in this program can teach people that it’s okay to be different, that being the same isn’t as cool as people genuinely think it is and it changed my whole mind a whole lot in perspective.”
This club is not only to set a sense of belonging but also to inspire others to form relationships with each other despite their differences. “Students with disabilities may feel like they don’t belong in our building, by feeling left out. Unfortunately, some people believe that if someone is in a wheelchair or somebody who can’t communicate verbally just assume there is no relationship that can be built,” Blankenheim-Villarreal said. “So I think for them, it really broadens their group of peers that they have and feel connected to the community, which is important for them and everyone’s success. Once they leave school, there’s no special ed pick up, so we need to practice that now so everybody is comfortable when we leave these doors.”
