Francis Bradley Middle School earns Special Olympics national banner and ESPN honor for Unified Sports inclusion

National recognition for an inclusion model built around sports and daily peer partnerships

Francis Bradley Middle School in Huntersville has received two high-profile distinctions tied to its work expanding participation for students with disabilities through school-based athletics and student support routines.

The school earned a National Banner Award from Special Olympics as part of a group of eight North Carolina schools recognized for inclusive sports and activities. In addition, Francis Bradley was the only school in North Carolina to be named to ESPN’s Honor Roll connected to the Unified Champion Schools program—an honor that identifies leading Unified Champion Schools in each participating state.

What the awards recognize

The recognitions center on Francis Bradley’s Unified Sports program, which pairs students with and without disabilities on the same teams for training and competition. At Francis Bradley, Unified Sports offerings cited by the school and district include soccer, basketball and track, among other activities.

Special Olympics’ Unified Sports model is designed to bring together athletes with intellectual disabilities and peers without intellectual disabilities as teammates. The approach emphasizes participation, structured competition and social inclusion through shared practices and games.

How the program operates inside the school day

School leaders describe the Unified approach at Francis Bradley as extending beyond scheduled practices and competitions. In addition to athletics, the campus uses a “student buddy” structure that pairs students with disabilities with peer partners during the school day. Administrators say the buddies connect with students each morning and participate in activities intended to build routines and self-responsibility.

Families and students have also tied the program to a broader sense of belonging on campus. One parent described the program as ensuring her child is included in the school community and has opportunities to compete, while an eighth-grade student highlighted enjoyment of running and participation in track-related activities.

A repeat honor and a first-time distinction

For Francis Bradley, the National Banner recognition represents the second time the school has received a Special Olympics honor of this type. The ESPN Honor Roll designation is a first for the school.

While the awards focus on a sports-centered framework, they reflect a broader trend among K–12 systems using extracurricular and co-curricular programs to build inclusive school climates. In this case, the recognitions point to two measurable elements: sustained implementation of Unified programming and participation in a statewide and national recognition structure linked to Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools.

• School recognized on January 22, 2026, for inclusive sports programming
• One of eight North Carolina schools receiving the Special Olympics National Banner Award
• Only North Carolina school named to ESPN’s Honor Roll connected to Unified Champion Schools

The school’s Unified Sports program pairs students with and without disabilities to compete together in team sports.