AKRON, IN – At a special convocation on Friday, May 18, Tippecanoe Valley High School was named a Unified Champion School. Champions Together is a partnership between the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) and Special Olympics Indiana.

Lee Lonzo, Director of Champions Together presented the banner to Tippecanoe Valley High School and the TVSC Community. Mr. Lonzo commended the students and their adult mentors for being named a 2017-2018 Unified Champion School and for being a statewide leader in the Champions Together movement. Tippecanoe Valley is one of an elite group of schools in Indiana that have achieved this honor and the first school receiving the banner for being named a Unified Champion School for the 2017-2018 school year.

An award program was established to recognize schools that embrace partnerships and do exemplary work in the areas of student leadership, respect for persons with intellectual disabilities, inclusion, Unified Sports participation and fundraising to support the goals of Special Olympics.

TVHS sponsored activities that were planned, organized and administered by an Inclusive Leadership Team (Kris Walker’s Peers Class), that strives to do things with student with disabilities, not for them. The school participated in several activities designed around whole school engagement that promoted and encouraged awareness, respect and inclusion. The school organized and participated in an IHSAA Unified Track and Field. The teachers of TVHS also raised $1500 for the Champions Together project.

Mason Metzger led off the convocation with an inspiring message for all the students at TVHS. Mason’s message included ways to look at opportunities from a unique perspective, teamwork, and encouraged the audience that through the obstacles, you get stronger. Mason concluded with ways to create a personal mission statement of just 15-20 words, understanding “growth mindset” and asking the audience what legacy they wanted to leave.