Earlier this year, the Grays Harbor Community Foundation awarded a grant to Elma School District to replicate a nationwide model here locally for a Unified Sports program.

Unified Sports is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual or developmental disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

Earlier this year, Elma hosted its first Unified Sports basketball game against Hoquiam to a packed gym. Elma High School’s Special Education teacher, Crystal Stanley commented on the grant award, “We ordered 100% of the uniforms and sports gear needed for Unified Basketball, so every athlete will be properly outfitted. We are so grateful for the support of the Foundation and hope to grow this program county-wide in the future.”