2025 Chuck Denny Legacy Character Award Recipient – Jaren Vogt
This year’s Character Award recipient is Jaren Vogt, a senior at Watertown-Mayer High School. Jaren is an authentic leader who genuinely cares for others.
Fostering inclusion through Special Olympics
As the end of spring semester approaches, Special Olympics College Club (SOCC) at Concordia will close out its first official year as a campus organization.
St. Kate’s Special Olympics club grows in unity
In the spirit of the Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Kate’s welcomes all without distinction. To love thy neighbor without distinction radiates from the core of St. Kate’s Special Olympics Club, Unified Katies.
Athletes come together for the State Unified Championship
Photojournalist Nick Lunemann takes us to the State Unified Championship, where teams of athletes with and without disabilities show us what sportsmanship looks like.
“Jr. Wolves Dream Team” Signs 16 Players to Honorary Contracts
The Minnesota Timberwolves, in partnership with UnitedHealthcare and Special Olympics Minnesota today announced the signing of 16 new honorary team members to their roster as the 2024-25 “Jr. Wolves Dream Team.”
Young Timberwolves fans become Wolves for a day
Not everyone makes it to the NBA, but for some young Minnesota Timberwolves fans, it became reality Sunday.
Bemidji & BSU Unified teams play halftime exhibition
BSU men’s basketball was on the road Friday in Duluth taking on UMD. Bemidji state women’s basketball also played at UMD.
Unified basketball tournament in Grand Rapids gets all students on the court
Unified athletes are no strangers to Minnesota, and this time, they made their way to Grand Rapids.
Timberwolves coaches visit South High School
“[Unified sports] is pure enjoyment…We get more from them than they do from us.” – Timberwolves Assistant Coach Micah Nori
Denfeld hosts “Springing Into Activity” field day
A special field day was held in Duluth on May 9 to make sure everyone knows they’re on the same team.
Unified Basketball Tournament at Target Center
Unified sports bring all athletes, both with and without disabilities, to team up and compete while spreading a message of acceptance and inclusion.
Athletes of all abilities compete at Target Center
Unified sports bring all athletes, both with and without disabilities, to team up and compete while spreading a message of acceptance and inclusion.
Unified high school state basketball tournament at Target Center
The Unified high school basketball state tournament was held at the Target Center Thursday. The teams have a mix of players with and without disabilities.
Roosevelt High School’s Unified team looks to go back-to-back
Students from Roosevelt High School got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play basketball at the Target Center. The team won its way at a regional tournament earlier this month.
Small car gives Minneapolis kids with disabilities independence
Minneapolis Public Schools and Special Olympics Minnesota teamed up to bring newfound freedom to places like Lucy Craft Laney Elementary school in Minneapolis.
Special Olympics holds first “Live Unified” event for metro students
“[You always hear] we need to be more inclusive, we need to be more welcoming,” said Dave Dorn. “Well, this is where it starts. It starts with our youth.”
Mayo High School hosts 2nd annual mobile Polar Plunge
“It means a lot to see that their school is creating a culture of inclusion, where were accepting and loving and going out of our way to intentionally build relationships,” Coordinator Colin Thomas explained.
A “Unified” approach to is changing lives at a MN middle school
In December, South View Middle School once again set the standard for inclusivity, winning the Special Olympics Minnesota Inclusive School Week Challenge.
Bemidji High School’s basketball match-up unifies community
“This is absolutely a historic event. This is the first Unified basketball game where two schools have come together to play,” said Shannon Murray.
Bemidji High School Hosts First-Ever Unified Basketball Game
Wednesday nights are usually pretty quiet on the high school scene, but tonight at Bemidji High School, it was anything but quiet.
Bethel University Breaks Down Barriers for Student Athletes
Unified Schools is a growing Special Olympics program in 60 countries supporting inclusive curriculum for diverse learners through sport—and it lets kids lead the way.
What happens when Special Olympics athletes are allowed to lead?
Unified Schools is a growing Special Olympics program in 60 countries supporting inclusive curriculum for diverse learners through sport—and it lets kids lead the way.
Prep football: “Everybody wins” with Unified sports
“The whole idea behind Unified is bringing special education and general education students together to do things inside of school and, ideally, outside of school,” Mike Doyle said.
This is South View Middle School
South View Middle School is a Special Olympics Unified Champion School in Edina, Minnesota. When Unified programs first arrived at South View, first-year teacher Jenni Schaefer was initially overwhelmed. But her students quickly embraced inclusion and began to drive the programming.
Duluth East hosts Unified Sports Special Olympics Day
“When I was in school, inclusion wasn’t happening…[T]o be able to provide students with opportunities to be together and to have fun and to really build school cultures of inclusion, it’s the best job ever,” said Shannon Murray.
Unified Sports Track and Field Day
Special Olympics student athletes and athletes without disabilities from Cook County, Cloquet, Proctor, and Duluth East met up today for a day full of fun activities.
Monticello Unified Programs Forging Lifelong Bonds
The Monticello seniors found that common bond early, and the school’s Unified program encourages student athletes to become Unified partners.
DAPE class partners with Special Olympics
The Grand Rapids High School Developmental Adaptive Physical Education (DAPE) class has partnered with Special Olympics.
School Showcases Success from SHAPE America Partnership
At Aquila Elementary School in Minnesota’s St. Louis Park Public School District, the lessons learned through inclusion are a focal point.
Fridley Middle School hosts Cool School Polar Plunge
Fridley Middle School students and staff braved frigid waters to rally around acceptance and inclusion at the Cool School Mobile Polar Plunge.
Unified Club spreads message of inclusion at Champlin Park
It’s not every day that high school students leave campus and go bowling, but a recent trip to Bowlero in Brooklyn Park wasn’t a normal field trip.
