Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Building bridges through unity: Memorial and Stratford unite for special needs students

March 18, 2024 8:00 AM

Despite their historic rivalry, Memorial and Stratford high schools came together on Friday, March 1, for a common purpose: to foster a sense of acceptance and belonging for special needs students through a Unified football game.

Unified Sports®, a program pioneered by the Special Olympics, aims to promote social inclusion through sports and other high school activities by bringing together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train and compete as equals. Five years ago, Spring Woods High laid the foundation for the initiative, and late last year, Memorial and Stratford High Schools decided to collaborate and expand the program. They are the first two schools in SBISD to host a Unified event together.

At the heart of the event were the special needs students, who had been preparing for weeks alongside their peers from both schools. They learned everything from the basics of football to cheerleading routines, band performances, and much more.

"We wanted to create an environment where every student feels valued and celebrated," said Lauren Payne, the lead student organizer from Stratford High. "The game was about so much more than football; it was about demonstrating inclusivity toward special needs students and finding a common purpose between both schools."

For as long as she can remember, Lauren has had an affinity for the special needs’ population. In middle school, she became involved with the Special Olympics. Her connection stems from her personal experience in that doctors told her parents there was a significant likelihood she would be born with Down Syndrome.

"I've always had a heart for special needs kids because Down Syndrome could very well have been my reality. I love to see kids smile and make them happy," she said. "The day of the game, the kids were so excited about things we take for granted. It's challenging to put the experience in words."

Audrey "Ace" Eicher led efforts at Memorial High School, and she, too, has a connection with special needs, having grown up with two siblings with Down Syndrome.

"The Unified football game allowed two rival schools to come together and celebrate something much bigger than us," said Ace. "Our goal was to spread messages of inclusion and allow special ed students to build friendships and engage in experiences they never thought possible. It was a tremendous display of unity and camaraderie."

Lisa Weir, principal of Memorial, and Raymorris Barnes, principal of Stratford, expressed how proud they were of the two schools coming together to raise awareness of special needs students. For both, the experience helped ignite a change in culture and climate at their respective campuses, and they look forward to watching the program grow in the future.

"The Unified game demonstrated what SBISD is all about and what we value – appreciating and valuing each other's differences," said Barnes. "At the end of the day, while we may root for different teams, this experience gave the kids an opportunity to come together as one community, which is immensely rewarding."

Weir saw the Unified game as a blessing and a way for the community to see what SBISD is genuinely about.

"The Unified experience is something neither the special needs nor non-special needs kids will ever forget, and it was a chance to create memories that will last a lifetime," said Weir. "Everyone involved in the Unified experience was positively impacted, whether on the field or cheering from the sidelines. It was awesome!"