Franklin Regional Unified Club raises more than $1,800 for Special Olympics PA

Franklin Regional School District debuted its unified track team in 2014, part of a Unified Club that brings together students of all abilities under the banner of inclusion and fostering new friendships.

The following year, the expanded team finished first in Westmoreland County. More recently, the team has been recognized as a Special Olympics National Banner Unified Champion School, alongside Norwin’s team, for their work “striving to create an environment of inclusivity,” according to Franklin Regional life skills teacher Allison Harris.

“When I first started the club, I had to push to make events happen,” Harris said. “Honestly, I don’t have to do much anymore. These relationships are real. They’re not forced school relationships. They hang out on their own, they have their own group text.”

The club hosted a “Showing Our Love” campaign Friday, asking staff and students to wear red and donate to Special Olympics PA. They raised more than $1,800.

The club employs dual officers for the posts of president, vice president and treasurer, inclusive of those with disabilities, creates monthly bulletin boards in the senior high school emphasizing its message of inclusivity, has done an inclusion presentation at the district’s annual basketball game with students from Clelian Heights in Greensburg, and also raises money for Special Olympics via the annual Polar Plunge, including $5,000 last year.

Thanks to its robust fundraising, Special Olympics granted the club permission to add bocce as a second sport, and it now has two eight-student teams that compete locally and regionally, although the pandemic has made it difficult.

“We had to cancel the track and field season last year,” Harris said. “Bocce is happening right now, and we’re hopeful to have some meets, but we won’t be having the regional tournament because of covid.”

Last spring, the club created a video, “What Does Inclusion Mean to Me,” and club co-president and senior Greg Sisco made it perfectly clear: fun.

“I think being part of the Unified team means a lot,” Sisco said. “When I was a freshman, I chose it because I thought it would be fun to make new friends, talk to them, create some new stuff. It’s an honor to be part of this team.”

Co-president and fellow senior Lila Shilling joined the club after watching her older sister enjoy her time in it.

“This is definitely one of the best and most meaningful experiences I’ve had, meeting so many great people and having so much fun,” Shilling said.

In addition to bigger things like a track and field regional championship and raising thousands of dollars for charity, the club also works to subtly reinforce its message of inclusivity through small things like the “Lunch Buddies” program, where club members eat a group lunch and socialize during one of the senior high’s quality resource times, or QRT, periods.

“It’s a pretty awesome thing to do,” Sisco said. “You get to talk more and communicate, and it’s great.”

School board member Paul Scheinert said he is pleased to see the club succeeding and gaining national recognition.

“I truly believe that, while every human being has their own limitations, you bring out the best when you get everyone together,” he said.

Harris agreed.

“It’s become very organic and seeped into all of their lives naturally,” she said. “That’s been my big takeaway from everything.”

Below, see students and staff participating in last Friday’s “Showing Our Love” fundraiser for Special Olympics PA.