At Special Olympics, it is our mission to celebrate inclusion at all times—no matter the setting. This belief has been even stronger in the past year with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and growing need for virtual connections. That is why we are so grateful to our corporate partners that continue to value this dedication in our ever-changing world.
Hasbro, a global play and entertainment company, is a partner that is constantly advocating for inclusion and kindness, especially with their support of inclusive school programming for youth. Since 2016, Special Olympics and Hasbro have worked together to promote inclusion in schools, both internationally and in the United States.
In the 2020 – 2021 school year, Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools ® are working again with Hasbro to celebrate and highlight national banner Unified Champion Schools. A national banner school is one that has met 10 quality standards developed by a national panel of leaders from Special Olympics and the education community. These standards encompass inclusivity, collaboration, engagement, and respect for all members of the student body and staff. In 2020 – 2021, 155 schools received national banner recognition. Of these, 5 will be honored with a virtual celebration sponsored by Hasbro.
On December 10, 2020—Hasbro’s company-wide day of service, the Global Day of Joy—Hasbro and Unified Champion Schools will recognize the first of these schools: White County Middle School (GA). The remaining schools to receive Hasbro recognition are Bunker Hill Elementary School (DC), Williams Memorial Elementary School (SC), Coventry High School (RI), and Westminster High School (Southern CA). Their virtual celebrations will occur in 2021.
We are grateful to Hasbro for another year of support!
Check out the national banner schools that Hasbro supported last year here.
To learn more about Hasbro’s partnership with Special Olympics, watch the video below.