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UNIFIED SPARTANS GO TO WASHINGTON
from April 2023
by Johnston Now
Submitted by Smithfield-Selma High School
SMITHFIELD — Smithfield-Selma High school students Savanah Allen and Nathaniel Beliveau spoke to the U.S.Senate and House of Representatives about the impact that Unified Champions School Program has had on their high school experience recently for Capitol Hill Day.
Capitol Hill Day is an important advocacy event that Special Olympics puts on every year. It’s purpose is to connect government leaders and Special Olympics athletes from across the country in small group meetings. Special Olympic athletes, with support from Unified Partners and staff members, share their personal stories and experiences about how the Unified Champion Schools program and Special Olympics have impacted their lives. This year, representatives from 50 states met with 237 government officials to share their stories.
Allen and Beliveau represented UCS for North Carolina in their goal to convince government leaders to provide additional funding for UCS and Inclusive Health. This experience is an example of inclusive leadership, one of the three tenets of UCS. The other two tenets are unified sports and whole school engagement. "I'm ready to tell everyone about Unified across the world," Beliveau said.
They were accompanied by Keith Fishburne, CEO of Special Olympics of North Carolina; Kelly Vaughn, vicepresident of SONC; Jennifer Wardlow, Special Olympics athlete and staff member at SONC and Bethany Jones, Unified Spartan club advisor.