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PERRYVILLE – Perryville High School has been recognized by Special Olympics Missouri (SOMO) with the Show Me Excellence Award, a state-level honor presented to Unified Champion Schools that demonstrate exceptional leadership, commitment to inclusion, and service as a resource to other schools across Missouri.
Perryville High School students shared the power of inclusion during Mayor’s Cup on Saturday. Special Olympics athletes and unified partners took the court together for a Unified game, highlighting PHS’s commitment to inclusion in action.
As a model Unified Champion School, Perryville High School has successfully incorporated all three core components of the Unified Champion Schools program: Inclusive Youth Leadership, Whole School Engagement, and Unified Sports & Activities. Through strong administrative support, passionate educators, and strong student leaders, the school continues to strive for a culture where students with and without intellectual disabilities are welcomed, valued, and empowered to succeed together.
“As the Unified Champion Schools Manager for Southern Schools, I am so impressed with Perryville,” said Jennie Randolph, Unified Champion Schools Manager for Special Olympics Missouri. “The support of their administration, the heart their teachers already had in creating a culture of inclusion, and the drive of their students are the reason this program has excelled so quickly. This school truly shows what it means to create a place where everyone belongs.”
To celebrate the recognition, Perryville High School shared the power of inclusion with the broader community during the Mayor’s Cup Tournament at the Perry Park Center on January 31, 2026. During halftime of the JV Boys’ basketball game, Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners took the court together for a Unified game, highlighting the school’s commitment to inclusion in action.
At the conclusion of the game, all participants were awarded medals, and the Unified Champion Schools State Banner was officially presented to Perryville High School by Randolph, recognizing the school’s achievement and leadership as a Show Me Excellence Unified Champion School.
Special Olympics Missouri applauds Perryville High School for setting the standard for inclusive school communities and for serving as a model and resource for Unified Champion Schools throughout the state.
For more information on Special Olympics Missouri’s Unified Champion Schools program, visit www.somo.org/ucs.
Release courtesy of Zach Paul, Director of Marketing & Communications for Special Olympics Missouri.