Peninsula High School Achieves National Recognition for Inclusion Excellence

Peninsula High School Achieves National Recognition for Inclusion Excellence

Peninsula High School (PHS) has been officially recognized as a National Banner Unified Champion School by Special Olympics North America for the 2024-2025 school year. This prestigious honor places PHS among only 807 schools nationwide—from elementary to college level—to achieve this distinction. This recognition isn't given lightly. To earn this status, Peninsula High School demonstrated excellence across 10 national standards focusing on inclusion, engagement, and school climate. These rigorous standards were developed by a national panel of education and Special Olympics leaders. This achievement reflects the passion, dedication, and hard work of our entire school community, with special recognition to PHS’s Unified student team members, PHS staff, and PHS Unified Coaches Wendy Christiansen and Jenny Buys, who led the application process and championed this initiative. “Unified is meaningful inclusion—transforming lives and reshaping the culture in our schools. It’s creating a world where everyone belongs, is valued, and loved.” - Wendy Christiansen, PHS Unified Coach. Peninsula High School will receive a custom National Banner in Forest Green to be proudly displayed in the school gymnasium.  The Peninsula School District remains committed to creating educational environments where every student belongs, thrives, and feels valued. This recognition affirms our ongoing dedication to inclusion and equity across all our programs. Congratulations to the students, staff, and families of Peninsula High School for this remarkable achievement!