Halftime of Champlin Park-Maple Grove Game Showcases Inclusion
Fans attending the Maple Grove-Champlin Park boys basketball game this week were treated to a special halftime show.
Champlin Park’s UNIFIED Club played a basketball game against Maple Grove’s UNIFIED physical education class during halftime of Thursday’s boys’ varsity game.
The UNIFIED Club is a group that connects students with and without intellectual disabilities.
Thursday’s game was a way to showcase the good work done by both schools to promote inclusion.
A student on the Champlin Park UNIFIED Club prepares to shoot the basketball.
“I think it’s pretty fun to play with all the athletes cause you get to socialize with them and you get to learn with them,” said Landon Thao, a Champin Park student who’s a member of the UNIFIED Club. “My favorite part was meeting all my friends and meeting all my UNIFIED members.”
“It’s pure joy for me. It is why I do my job. It’s why I come to school,” said Maia Miller, Champlin Park’s UNIFIED Advisor. “Seeing these students create those meaningful relationships is what keeps me going.”
The team from Champlin Park technically “won” the game, but nobody kept score. Next up for the team is a UNIFIED basketball regional tournament in Orono on Jan. 31.
Related: Unified Club Spreads Message of Inclusion at Champlin Park
Champlin Park High School
Maple Grove Senior High School
