Staff Reports
FORTVILLE — For the second year in a row, Mt. Vernon Middle School has won the “Champions Together in the Middle” banner. Champions Together is a partnership between the Indiana High School Athletic Association and Special Olympics Indiana. To earn the banner, the school must form an inclusive leadership team to organize events, put on an event that engages the entire school to raise awareness, organize and participate in a Unified sports activity, and raise at least $750.
The Marauder Movement club in the middle school is responsible for putting on events for Unified Champions throughout the school year, while also promoting kindness and inclusion. Meeting biweekly, the group of about 60 students hosted two events in an effort to raise money to support Special Olympics Indiana.
The first event the students put on was the “Boo Bash” Dance. Middle school students dressed up in Halloween costumes and met in the Alumni Center for treats and dance music. Boo Bash raised more than $800.
The second event hosted by the Marauder Movement was a sports event, the Unified Champions basketball game. Unified Champions athletes partnered up with the MVMS boys’ basketball team in a Black vs. Gold game. The proceeds from Black vs. Gold t-shirts that were sold during this game also went towards a donation for the Special Olympics.
Not only did the Marauder Movement club complete the requirements for the banner, but they also exceeded expectations by putting out videos on the MVMS news about Unified Champions to help students understand the cause. They also had an opportunity in March to sign a “Spread the Word to End the Word” banner. This promotes stopping the use of the offensive “r” word. Because of their dedication and hard work promoting kindness, all students at Mt. Vernon Middle School have the chance to feel included and appreciated.
