Champion School Highlight: Leavitt Area High School

Leavitt Area High School has been involved in Project UNIFY since 2011. Their involvement started with Unified Sports (Basketball, Bowling & Bocce) and evolved quickly to incorporate a Youth Activation Committee.  Their Youth Activation Committee started, and continues to organize and execute, Whole School Engagement activities such as Inclusive Schools week activities and Spread the Word to End the Word campaign where they promote acceptance and respect for all students in their community. 

Leavitt Area High School recently hosted a Special Olympics Maine Androscoggin County Unified Bocce training day where nearly 75 Special Olympics athletes and unified partners spent the majority of the morning learning new bocce techniques and skills, while also providing some fun Unified Bocce games.  Students from Leavitt that were not participating in unified bocce volunteered for the event as game officials and cheered on the competitors as fans in the stands.  Leavitt is now gearing up for the upcoming MPA Unified Basketball season and starting to organize activities for this December's Inclusive Schools week.  Leavitt is also creating ways to sustain their Project UNIFY program by creating fundraising opportunities where funds generated will be used for future Project UNIFY efforts in their school. 

How does Leavitt Area High School unlock their Project UNIFY potential?  Leavitt creates a team approach (Students, Faculty & Administration) to Project UNIFY where Project UNIFY is one of the most important aspects of their school and one that is now ingrained in their students and faculty.  The team approach has provided the support and guidance needed to make sure all aspects of Project UNIFY are incorporated into their school community.  Leavitt's Project UNIFY School Liaison provides a "Bulletin Board" outside their classroom where students can locate Project UNIFY information/resources, along with sign ups for Project UNIFY events being offered throughout the school year.  The combination of all three Project UNIFY components (Unified Sports, Inclusive Youth Leadership & Whole School Engagement)throughout the entire school year has made Leavitt Area High School a Champion Levelschool.