Special Olympics grant brings the ‘magic of inclusive sports’ to BPS schools

A joyful, rowdy basketball game on the Brighton High court Wednesday afternoon was just the first glimpse into a brand new BPS and Special Olympics of Massachusetts$450,000 partnership.

“We just saw a little bit of how electric this is,” said Mayor Michelle Wu after the game. “We just had a couple minutes in there of witnessing the magic of what inclusive sports and bringing everyone in our community together means for our young people. And we need this now more than ever.”

Watching a young student who’d never had the chance to play an organized team sport make a basket, she said, felt like watching the Celtics win.

Through the partnership, the Special Olympics program will provide $450,000 in grant funding, volunteer placement and technical support over three years to increase inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities at participating schools.

After meeting program inclusivity standards, schools may be designated Unified Champion Schools. There are currently 22 Unified Champion Schools in the district.

“We have committed to Boston Public Schools not only this money, but any money that’s going to be needed to make sure this inclusive schools programming,” said Special Olympics Massachusetts President Mary Beth McMahon. “Because I wanted to not only grow the program, I wanted to make sure it’ll be sustainable and grow across the district.”

The program is aiming to expand inclusive athletic opportunities in and out of school, McMahon said, including pre-K and elementary early motor development, inclusive middle school PE and high school athletics like basketball, bocce and track.

The partnership, a BPS release noted, is also an answer to a agreement on an expansion of inclusive programming included in the Boston Teachers Union contract signed in fall 2022.

“The Massachusetts Special Olympics has always been an organization that has broken barriers, called them out and worked in partnership with school districts, and I’m proud to be working with them here in Boston, as I have in the past,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. “Because really our special education students show us what’s possible.”

After the announcement at Brighton High School on Wednesday, Wu tossed the ball for the ceremonial tip-off, prompting off deafening hollering from the very enthusiastic bleachers.

“There’s nothing like cheering on your team that you believe in and seeing everyone represented on that team,” she added.

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