Kentwood High School has been named a National Banner School by Special Olympics for its outstanding Unified Sports program.
Unified Sports provide an inclusive environment where students with intellectual or developmental disabilities participate alongside their peers, fostering teamwork, friendship, and school pride through shared athletic experiences. Kentwood High School hosts the largest Unified Sports program in Washington state, with roughly 10% of the state’s unified athletes competing at the school. The program is also offered at Kentridge, Kentlake, and Kent-Meridian high schools.
Kentwood was one of just three schools in Washington state recognized by Special Olympics, alongside Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor and the University of Washington in Seattle.
Mary Do, President & CEO of Special Olympics Washington, highlighted the significance of the honor. She said this recognition celebrates not just Kentwood High School, but the entire Kent School District: the students, educators, and administration working together to build community. Do emphasized the role of joy and inclusion in the program, calling it “a time that is needed more than ever” and expressed hope that the initiative will continue to grow in the years ahead.
The Kent School District congratulates Kentwood High School and all Unified Sports athletes for their dedication, leadership, and commitment to fostering inclusion across the district.