Newton South HS Unified States, Cheer, and Basketball teams — 2023-24 (photos: Newton South High School Athletics Department)
This fall, Newton South High School won prestigious recognition as a National Banner Unified Champion School by the Special Olympics of North America, marking the second time the school has earned the designation, which is awarded to select schools every four years.
In a newsletter to the community, Newton South Director of Athletics Patricia Riviero de Gonzalez said that Newton South was one of only 19 schools in Massachusetts – and 202 schools nationwide – to receive the award for the current school year. The award is given to schools deemed to be meeting national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect.
The recognition honored South’s Unified Sports program, which brings together on the same team students with disabilities and students without them, who serve as what the program calls “partners.”
In a statement, Special Olympics Vice President of Schools and Community Development Patty Doherty said that the success of the Unified program at Newton South was made possible by the efforts of a wide range of members of the South community.
“The athletes, partners, students, coaches, volunteers, teachers, staff, and administration at Newton South High School have all played key roles in creating a social climate where everyone feels included and respected for who they are,” she said. “We are honored to have such a strong and fully inclusive school …be recognized a second time for the hard work and dedication [it] demonstrates daily to continuously grow and strengthen [its] program.”
Currently, Newton South offers three Unified programs across the fall, winter, and spring seasons: Unified Basketball, Unified Cheer, and Unified Track & Field.
Jesus Rodriguez, coach of South’s Unified Basketball team, said that observing teammates interacting both on and off the…