Local School Receives National Recognition

Special Olympics Maryland has announced that Twin Ridge Elementary School, a Special Olympics Unified Champion School, has achieved national banner recognition for its efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without disabilities.

Twin Ridge is the first school in Frederick County to earn this accolade and the only elementary school in Maryland to ever receive this recognition.

“The amount of pride that I have in our students, families and staff for working to create a school environment where inclusivity, leadership and engagement of all students is held in such a high regard is immeasurable,” Twin Ridge Principal Heather Hobbs said. Their commitment to using art, music and physical education as a vehicle to communicate and gain understanding of all students is at the core of what we believe in as a school.”

Twin Ridge received this honor as a result of meeting national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy and respect. Twin Ridge will be amongst a select number of schools to receive this distinction. They will be presented with a banner to hang in their building and be included on a list of other schools around the country that have achieved this distinguished status.

“We were thrilled to hear Twin Ridge is a Special Olympics Unified Champion School,” FCPS Superintendent Dr. Terry Alban said. “Students and staff there should be so proud of the community they have built, and I’m appreciative Special Olympics is recognizing Twin Ridge in such a significant way.”

Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® is a strategy for Pre-K through college that intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create accepting school environments.

The mission and motto at Twin Ridge Elementary, appropriately enough, is – Together, Reaching Excellence for All Students.