The Eagan Unified club has been gaining publicity at Eagan High School because of their many achievements over the past year.  Due to all of the announcements about Unified all over the school, I was curious to learn more about the club and everyone involved, so I asked Mr. Moore and Mrs. Milleson a few questions about what Unified is and how EHS students can get involved.

Q1. What is Unified?  

“Unified is Eagan’s Inclusion club that provides opportunities for meaningful interactions between students with and without disabilities. We partner with the Special Olympics, but also do a lot of fun things at EHS on our own like seasonal parties, weekend movie nights, bowling, and our own sports competitions.”

Q2. How long has Unified been going on, and how has it changed throughout the years?

“Unified has been a club at Eagan High School since 2021. Before Unified, there was an after-school buddies club called Wildcat Connection since 2005. In 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Wildcat Connection leaders voted to become Unified because they wanted to do more activities during the school day so more people could be included. We used to have after-school parties once a month that were student-led, but now we partner with Special Olympics in addition to our in-school activities. Joining with the Special Olympics has provided more student leadership opportunities both at EHS and at the regional level.  We have a president, four vice presidents, and several Unified Captains. We are very proud to have three students on the Special Olympics Minnesota Student Board of Directors. Being a part of the Special Olympics means that students get to compete in various sporting events, which has been amazing! We have won two state championships in basketball as well as top 3 finishes in Unified Soccer and Bocce Ball. Unified Sports are competitions with both mainstream partners and special needs athletes on the court, or field at the same time.”

Q3. Why is Unified important to you and the students involved?

“Everyone wants to be seen, heard, and valued. We believe that every student has value, no matter their ability. We are always asking if all students have a chance for meaningful involvement, which means something different for everyone. In Unified, we go to great lengths to promote natural peer-to-peer interactions, which aren’t always available to students with disabilities. Our volunteers, or “partners,” learn how to best interact with our special needs students, or “athletes.” Our athletes light up every time they see their partner friends, and vice versa. When everything is going as planned, the adults are standing on the sidelines while our partners and athletes are having all of the fun. For me, that’s what it’s all about. Also, I think our partners get just as much out of the experience as our athletes!”

Q4. What are some ways interested students can get involved throughout their time at EHS?

“Students who are interested in joining Unified can find Mr. Moore or Mrs. Milleson to join the Band app. All information is sent through the app. There are also several Unified classes offered throughout the day so sign up!”