South Ripley HS Earns Second National Banner as Unified Champions School

They are the only school in Indiana to earn the national banner twice.

(Versailles, Ind.) – South Ripley High School has done something that no other school in the state of Indiana has accomplished.

On Monday, Champions Together and Special Olympics Indiana recognized South Ripley High School as the only Indiana school to win the National Banner twice as a Unified Champions School.

The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program is aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change in K-12 schools and across college campuses.

This is accomplished by implementing inclusive sports, inclusive youth leadership opportunities, and whole school engagement. Popular unified sports include track & field, flag football, basketball, volleyball, cheerleading and bowling, among other sports.

Students at South Ripley are also heavily involved in fundraising for the Special Olympics through the Fire Truck Pull every August and the upcoming Polar Plunge in February.

South Ripley was first recognized as a Unified Champion School in 2015. Four years later they earned their first banner as a National Unified Champion School, just a short time after their Unified Bowling Team won the state championship.

Superintendent Rob Moorhead commented, “Becoming the first school in the state to earn the National Banner for a second time shows that South Ripley is not only a local and state leader, but is indeed a national leader in the Inclusion Revolution. “This accomplishment does not happen without the tireless efforts of Brenda Strimple. Her passion for helping all students become involved in representing South Ripley is truly inspirational. It’s another great day to be a Raider.”

To learn more about the Unified Champion School program, visit https://www.specialolympics.org/what-we-do/youth-and-schools/unified-champion-schools.

Tonight the SR School Board recognized Mrs. Brenda Strimple and students from the Champions Together program for earning a Unified Champions School National Banner! South Ripley continues to be a state and national leader in the Inclusion Revolution! #RaiderPride pic.twitter.com/MJli1L8Dzx

— South Ripley Schools (@SR_Raiders) November 21, 2023