Timberline Middle School named Special Olympics National Unified Champion
Jan 9, 2025, 6:03 PM | Updated: 7:56 pm
ALPINE, Utah — When we think back to our middle school years, they often weren’t the most kind. However, students at one Utah County middle school are changing that.
Rebecca Spencer was nervous to send her son, Paul to middle school.
“I was terrified anyway because it’s junior high,” Spencer said. “We usually call middle school kind of the gross period where there’s puberty.”
On top of being a mom, Spencer advocates for children with special needs.
“They’re all switching to a different school,” Spencer said. “When a lot of these kids are young, we don’t them learning to play soccer and basketball because we’re in speech therapy.”
Despite her fears, her son was accepted for who he was at Timberline Middle School. Paul found his community through sports.
“They don’t have their own section at lunch. They’re part of the school,” Adapted P.E. teacher Tim Zito said. “We play soccer, basketball, and bocce.”
Paul plays alongside peers with and without intellectual disabilities through Special Olympics Unified Sports.
“They don’t wear different colors or anything,” Zito said. “So you can’t tell who’s who, and they just go out and play together to the ability of the person across you.”
It’s because of this program, the teammates, and the school culture that Timberline Middle was honored with a national award.
“We have a designated spot on our student council for someone with disabilities,” Zito said.
Timberline students proved they met 10 standards of excellence for inclusion. First Lady Abby Cox said the students are changing the way we connect.
“The National Banner Program is a recognition program sponsored through ESPN and Special Olympics North America,” Cox said.
“It wasn’t that long ago that children with disabilities, with intellectual disabilities were actually not allowed to come to school.”
Now when Paul walks onto campus, he’ll see this banner hanging in the hall. Timberline is the first middle school in Utah to receive this banner.
“Inclusion helps everyone grow!” Paul said.
