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Coyote Ridge Elementary School in Cheyenne recognized by Special Olympics for achievements in inclusion

CHEYENNE – Special Olympics Wyoming has announced that Coyote Ridge Elementary in Cheyenne, a school with Special Olympics Unified Champion School programming, is receiving national banner recognition for its efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without intellectual disabilities (ID). Coyote Ridge Elementary is receiving this distinguished status as a result of meeting 10 national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy and respect. A national panel of leaders from Special Olympics and the education community developed these standards. National banner schools should also demonstrate they are self-sustainable or have a plan in place to sustain these activities in the future. The Unified Champion Schools model is a strategy for schools pre-K through university that intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without ID to create accepting school environments, utilizing three interconnected components: Special Olympics Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership and whole school engagement. More than 50 schools are currently participating in Unified Champion Schools programming in Wyoming, as part of more than 12,000 schools across the country, including 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, engaged in the program. The Unified Champion Schools model