DHS’s Unified Sports have now attained the status of Special Champions due to DHS’s outstanding work in Special Olympics Massachusetts. To receive this title, you must have at least two seasons of unified sports. Dartmouth has completed five and took on the name Champions this past spring season.

Athlete Collin Demanche said, “It feels good to be called champions.”

Unified Sports Head Coach John Breault explained how DHS went above and beyond a checklist that qualified them to be called champions. Mr. Breault said, “Unified sports is a program that uses sports as a vehicle that brings together students with and without special needs. It gives the special needs students the total high school experience.”

He explained how at DHS the special needs students are treated very well.  “The regular ed students are phenomenal year in and year out. The partners are just incredible,” he said.

DHS reached this higher status in the special needs program by hosting events such as the Special Olympics in the spring each year. We also have autism awareness days and other days that support our peers, which all go to this checklist on which DHS ranked highly. Dartmouth has been top three in every sport and season the past couple of years. They got second in basketball during the past winter season and third in track the last two  years at the state championship.

Learning Partners is a class that DHS offers that includes the special need students and the regular ed students. This class has helped the athletes transition smoothly into the games, getting the athletes comfortable with the partners that participate in the games and practices. DHS’s Special Champions programs include basketball, bowling, and track.

Athlete Travis Tetrault said, “Soon we will be called the All-Star Champions.”