Special Olympics names Bishop Hendricken a Unified Champion School

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WARWICK — Special Olympics International has declared Bishop Hendricken High School an official Unified Champion School and hosted a Banner Presentation Ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 21, beginning with a prayer service, followed by the banner presentation in Hendricken’s McNally Gym.

A Unified Champion School, receiving national banner recognition, is one that has demonstrated commitment to inclusion by meeting 10 national standards of excellence. Bishop Hendricken is being awarded this honor for having an inclusive school climate and respecting all members of the student body.

In 2008-2009, Bishop Hendricken High School launched the Brother Thomas R. Leto Options Program. Brother Leto recognized the need to educate all young men and his vision provided students with special needs the option of benefiting from a Catholic Christian education. Bishop Hendricken is the fifth Catholic high school in the U.S. with such a program, and the first single-sex school of its kind.

Hendricken Options Program students and partner athletes from the general school community have been participating in two Unified Sports teams since the program was introduced to the Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL) in Spring 2010: Volleyball in the Fall, and Basketball in the Spring. Unified Sports is a cooperative venture between the RIIL and Special Olympics of Rhode Island. Athletes practice and play together as a team against other Rhode Island high schools with unified teams following a schedule confected by the RIIL.