Junior Dylan Zephier (center) dances with senior Jordyn Guse next to senior Helina Cooper (back left) and freshman Liam Hoffschneider during a unified music class Sept. 5 at Lincoln East High School. As “A Sky Full of Stars” from the animated movie “Sing 2” blared through the classroom speakers, Gabe Stearns didn’t miss a beat.
He instantly took his spot at the front of the music room and broke out his best dance moves. A shimmy here, a fist pump there. The sophomore at Lincoln East High School saves his best moves, though, for his all-time favorite song: Cupid’s classic “Cupid Shuffle.
” That’s when things get serious. Stearns simply loves music. He loves dancing, too, which is why he joined the unified music course at East.
There, he’s in his element. He doesn’t have to be afraid to let loose and can sing to his heart’s content. He can be himself and appreciate music alongside dozens of his fellow classmates who are there for the same reason, to sing and dance.
Stearns is one of hundreds of students across Lincoln Public Schools to participate in the growing number of unified programs, which allow both students like him who are enrolled in special education and those in general education to come together in an inclusive environment to learn and appreciate shared interests. “It’s a place where everyone belongs,” said Carrie Foster, a special education coordinator at the district who oversees all unified programs. LPS now has dozens of unified activities available to students at middle and high schools across the district, and that number is on the rise, Foster said.
Unified programs have been rapidly gaining popularity in recent years, and many schools within the district are continuing to look for ways to add even more opportunities that cater to a variety of students’ interests. Senior Helina Cooper (left) and sophomore Hillary Kenston sing along during a unified music class on Sept. 5 at East High School.
Around 10 years ago, only a few high schools in the district had unified activities. It started by implementing unified sports, like bowling and swimming. Now, all eight high schools — and several middle schools — have at least a few unified opportunities available.
“I think schools have just seen how it makes a really inclusive culture in their buildings,” Foster said. “It’s really a beautiful thing.” The growth of unified programs hasn’t just been seen in Lincoln, however.
It’s happening statewide, too, according to Nathaniel Parks, the vice president of programs at Special Olympics Nebraska. Not everyone has an interest in sports, and the organization, which has a primary focus on unified athletics, recognizes that. In the past few years, there has been an increased push to expand the unified activities offered in an effort to have something available for everybody.
Now, schools are creating unified programs for anything and everything. From unified theater to P.E.
to art to book club, the opportunities seem to be endless, Parks said. And the growth isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon, either. Special Olympics Nebraska is actively working with the Nebraska School Activities Association to continue expanding the options available to all Nebraska students.
The current goal is to have unified speech available by the spring season this year, although nothing is official yet, Parks said. Additionally, a partnership between LPS and Special Olympics is in the works to create a systemwide approach to expand unified programs across the district. “We're really excited about the future of what's going to happen in Lincoln,” Parks said.
Freshman Max Perry (left) and junior Connor Rempe clap hands during a unified music class on Sept. 5 at East High School. At Lincoln Southwest, unified activities have become something of a priority to the school, said Brandi Benson, who teaches unified journalism and yearbook there.
In the last eight or so years, Southwest has formed 13 unified programs, including choir, walking club, cheerleading, mass media and yearbook. Southwest, alongside Lincoln Southeast, is one of Lincoln’s Unified Champion Schools, which is a national honor awarded by Special Olympics to recognize schools that are leaders in promoting inclusivity. Last spring, Southwest’s unified yearbook class was awarded the highly competitive Innovation Pacemaker Award for its work in providing an inclusive opportunity for all students.
Benson said that, to her knowledge, Southwest is one of the only schools in the nation to sponsor a unified yearbook course. But even with 13 programs, Benson said Southwest is just scratching the surface of what can be done to create a truly inclusive environment for students. There are still plenty of activities and courses at the school that can be turned into unified programs — she’s currently working to help create a unified culinary class — but in an ideal world, everything would be unified, she said.
“I don’t think that this is something that is (just) in vogue right now, and is going to simmer or go away. This is the way that we're going, and it's just going to get bigger and bigger,” Benson said. “Every single student deserves a place where they belong.
Every single student deserves a classroom they belong in. They deserve a club, they deserve an activity, they deserve a sport. And so I think creating those spaces is kind of just a no-brainer,” she added.
Vocal music teacher Sam Klemme leads a unified music class Sept. 5 at East High School. Unified programs can have a big impact on everyone involved, said Mike Wiese, a special education teacher at East.
Students in both special and general education can learn social skills, enhance their abilities to communicate with others and get out of their comfort zones. Wiese said this impact can be seen everywhere — in the smiles on students' faces during class, in the friendships students make that extend outside of school and in parents' gratitude for the inclusive opportunities their students now have. There are even a handful of students in general education who aren’t actually enrolled in unified courses but still come to class each day over their lunch breaks because they enjoy it so much.
“That's the part where it's just all worth it,” he said. Grant Strong, a senior at East, said his time in unified programs has been life-changing. He first started participating in unified activities when he was in the third grade and spent the last few years in unified P.
E. before joining unified music this year, too. “I just grew a heart for it, and it's become my passion,” he said.
Through these experiences, Strong has built relationships with students he might have never met without unified opportunities, and has met some of his best friends along the way. Now, Strong is applying to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with the hopes of someday becoming a special education teacher himself so he can carry his love for helping others into his future career. “It's just been a great, great opportunity, just being able to watch (everyone) thrive and sing their hearts out and dance in front of the room, just having a party pretty much every day,” he said.
“It's been one of the greatest gifts to me.” Download the new Journal Star News Mobile App Members of the UNL Army ROTC's Big Red Battalion climb the steps of Memorial Stadium during a silent stair climb in remembrance of those lost in the 9/11 attacks on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in Lincoln.
Starting at 6:00 a.m., various members of the branches of UNL ROTC, first responders in the surrounding Lancaster areas, and former military members began a silent stair climb workout that involves climbing 2,071 steps, or about 110 flights of stairs.
This was the number of stairs that were present at the World Trade Center, which first responders climbed in an effort to rescue people from the towers. The cadets only count the stairs going up, not down. Representing those first responders who never got a chance to descend safely.
Lincoln East's Raheem Popoola (13) leads his team out onto the field before the game against Grand Island on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, at Seacrest Field. Nebraska's Harper Murray (27) embraces Bergen Reilly (2) after scoring a kill against Creighton in the first set on Tuesday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Nebraska's Tommi Hill (6) celebrates a pick-six during the first quarter of the game against Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska's Jacory Barney (17) celebrates as fans rush the field after the game on Saturday, Sept.
7, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Terence "Bud" Crawford (center) takes the field next to Nebraska's Dylan Raiola (left) and Mikai Gbayor on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska fans storm the field after winning the game against Colorado on Saturday, Sept.
7, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska won 28-10. Police investigate the scene of a shooting Sunday in downtown Lincoln near 11th and P streets where one man was killed and another man was injured.
While teammate Dante Dowdell (23) celebrates a touchdown with his teammates, quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) reacts toward the home sideline in the first quarter on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska's Dante Dowdell (23) is tackled by Colorado's Shilo Sanders (21) on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Wahoo players pray in the locker room ahead of their match against Ashland-Greenwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Wahoo High School. Lincoln Southeast's Zayvion Campbell (left), Lincoln Southwest's Nathan Mensah (center) and Southeast's Mason Mehta (right) dive after the ball in the end zone during the second quarter on Friday at Seacrest Field.
The play resulted in a Lincoln Southwest touchback. Ian Plumlee, of Lincoln, dances with his daughter, Josephine, 4, as Sandy Creek Pickers performs during the Nebraska Bluegrass Concert Series on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, on Nebraska Innovation Campus.
Jeff Gold speaks after being installed as the University of Nebraska's ninth president during an investiture ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. Junior Dylan Zephier (center) dances with senior Jordyn Guse next to senior Helina Cooper (back left) and freshman Liam Hoffschneider during a Unified music class, Thursday, Sept.
5, 2024, at East High School. Nebraska's Dylan Raiola walks in the Legacy Walk on Saturday outside Memorial Stadium. A great blue heron perches on a rock in the shallow water of Holmes Lake on Tuesday.
Nebraska's Leyla Blackwell (11) throws a volleyball into the stands before the match against TCU on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at the Bob Devaney Center. The Huskers run on to the field to kickoff the game against UTEP on Saturday, Aug.
31, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska's MJ Sherman (48) sacks UTEP's Skyler Locklear (9) during the first quarter of the UTEP game on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at Memorial Stadium.
Norfolk Catholic players line up on the field before during the game against Bishop Neumann on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, at Bishop Neumann in Wahoo. Nebraska's Isaiah Neyor (18) catches a 59-yard touchdown pass while defended by UTEP's Jaylon Shelton (9) in the second quarter, on Saturday, Aug.
31, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska's Bergen Reilly (2) watches a husker light show as a highlight reel of last year plays before the match on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center.
New University of Nebraska-Lincoln students run out onto the field during the tunnel walk tradition at Memorial Stadium on Friday. Lincoln Christian's Truman Paulsen holds the Spirit Sword after defeating Lincoln Lutheran on Friday at Aldrich Field. Framed through a children's play set, Jordyn Anderson, 3, pushes her friend Jordan Lara, 4, in a Cozy Coupe toy at the playground outside at Las Abejitas' location at First Lutheran Church on Friday.
Las Abejitas, one of only two bilingual child care centers in Lincoln, is opening a second location at First-Plymouth Church in September. Waverly celebrates after defeating Lincoln Lutheran in five sets Thursday at Lincoln Lutheran High School. Thursday afternoon's football game between Lincoln East and Elkhorn South was postponed due to weather.
The teams will make up the game Friday at Seacrest Field. Lincoln East's Deacon Gehle (from left) and Presley Hall practice passing back anf forth while waiting out a rain delay at Seacrest Field on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.
From left, U.S. Sens.
Deb Fischer, Pete Ricketts, 3rd District Congressman Adrian Smith, 1st District Congressman Mike Flood and 2nd District Congressman Don Bacon attended the annual summit hosted by the Nebraska, Omaha and Lincoln chambers of commerce on Thursday at Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland. Runners, including Tyler Pooschke (first left) and Mak Krause (right) are led by run lead Trevor White (first right) as they take off along the Billy Wolff Trail for the first-ever run held by the Telegraph Run Club on Wednesday. The new run club is meant to be a welcoming, open and free to any who wishes to join.
Nebraska's Nash Hutmacher hands a football back to Henry Erikson of Beatrice, 8, and Brent Erikson during football fan day, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, at Hawks Championship Center. Reach Jenna Ebbers at 402-473-2657 or jebbers@journalstar.
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