An Airdrie high school that has become well known for its commitment to inclusion and the Special Olympics is being honoured this week.  

July 20th - 26th is designated the Global Week of Inclusion and several individuals, groups and organizations are being recognized as 2020 Champions of Inclusion for helping Special Olympics Alberta. 

One of those champions is Bert Church High School (BCHS) in Airdrie.   The BCHS Unified Sports program is led by teachers Ian Ferguson and Cynthia Dahl.  Unified Sports pairs students with intellectual disabilities and those without together in a variety of sports competitions.  The school has made the program a permanent part of the school community since that time.

"We're incredibly proud of the Unified Sports program that we've built up at Bert Church," says Ferguson.  "We've been involved with Special Olympics and the ASAA (Alberta Schools Athletics Association) since 2016, we're kind of one of the early adopters of their Unified Sports program and its been an incredible addition to our school."

BCHS has both participated in and hosted Unified events.  The school has represented Alberta at the last two Special Olympics Ontario Invitational International Youth Games.  In 2018 the bocce team captured the gold medal while in the 2019 games they won bronze.  

Recently the school hosted a virtual Unified Bean Bag Toss event for athletes across Canada to help them learn a new activity while staying safe at home.

Ferguson says to see the Special Olympics athletes and the partner players come together is incredible.  "We have amazing kids who really enjoy getting to play, and to have them be able to work together and play of the same team has always been really powerful and the main reason why our program has been so successful."

The Special Olympics website has some poignant words when addressing the Global Week of Inclusion.  It reads,

"Too many Special Olympics athletes knew the pain of isolation and exclusion long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Canadians with intellectual disabilities are still too often left out – on playgrounds, from the workforce, from conversations. Together, we have the power to change this when we Choose To Include.  We will invite everyone to join our joyful revolution for inclusion, which matters now more than ever.  We will inspire change by honouring some of the many champions who always #ChooseToInclude and celebrate all abilities."

Ferguson says everyone at BCHS has benefited from the Unified Sports program and says it has greatly enhanced what was already a wonderful school culture.

"This has been an avenue to increase that culture.  There's something powerful about playing on the same team as someone, and there's something powerful about putting on your school's colours and representing them and this has just given both our athletes and partners a new way to do that."

Alberta Minister of Culture Multiculturalism and Status of Women Leela Sharon Aheer was also recognized as a Champion of Inclusion.  

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