Montgomery Jr/Sr High School in Santa Rosa has been named a 2026 National Banner Unified Champion School by Special Olympics, the organization's highest honor for a school building inclusion through sports. The recognition caps six years of work at the campus, where students with and without disabilities have trained and competed together as teammates rather than as separate programs running side by side.
The designation comes from Special Olympics, which lists Montgomery among its Class of 2026 Northern California honorees, according to specialolympics.org. The Press Democrat reports that Montgomery hosted its annual Special Olympics Unified Field Day as part of the celebration, where students with special needs competed on teams with general education peers and socialized off the field afterward. The school also hosted its sixth annual soccer tournament on October 22, drawing 12 schools and programs from Sonoma and Napa counties, per the same report.
A Six-Year Build Toward National Recognition
Montgomery has been a Unified Champion School and host of the soccer tournament for six years, and the campus includes a Best Buddies program alongside its Unified Sports offerings, according to the Press Democrat's account. Kateland Pinella, who coordinated the field day and serves as principal of Santa Rosa Early Learning Academy, said the event has built lasting connections across schools. Per the Press Democrat, Pinella said students who move schools often reconnect with former teachers and teammates at the field day.
Montgomery Principal Tyler Ahlborn called the field day one of his favorite days of the year, the outlet reports. Ahlborn said hosting the event is a point of pride that requires effort from staff, leaders and students, and that it celebrates the school's work to build an inclusive and welcoming environment. He credited teachers, partners, staff, volunteers and students for their contributions, and said he considers the recognition comparable to the school's athletic achievements — with plans to display the banner alongside Montgomery's other athletic honors.
What It Takes to Earn Banner Status
To win national banner recognition, a Special Olympics Unified Champion School must meet 10 standards of excellence, and schools must reapply for banner status every four years to keep the designation, per specialolympics.org. Every Unified Champion School participates in three core components — Unified Sports, Inclusive Youth Leadership and Whole School Engagement — according to Special Olympics Northern California's description of the program on sonc.org. The organization's site also lists Montgomery among five Northern California schools earning the honor this year, alongside Pittsburg High, Rosemont High, Roseville High and Stoneman Elementary.
David Solo, president and CEO of Special Olympics Northern California, recognized Montgomery as a 2026 National Banner Unified Champion School and said he was proud to call it one of the best in the nation, per the Press Democrat. Solo said Unified Champion Schools foster inclusion, collaboration, engagement and respect, and he thanked the district for 13 years of partnership. He said thousands of students with and without intellectual disabilities have been positively impacted by that partnership and the district's school events, and that the commitment to inclusion through sports sets an example for others.
Students Say the Recognition Changes How the School Is Seen
Fevan Semere, a junior at Montgomery and a varsity cheerleader, participated in the event through the Associated Student Body, according to the Press Democrat. Semere said the banner recognition boosts the school's image and that everyone who wants inclusion is included at Montgomery. Ahlborn echoed that sentiment, saying events like Unified Field Day can affect the whole community through the commitment of the people who support it.
Beyond the field day, Special Olympics Northern California runs Unified Sports events across the region, including a Unified Basketball gathering at Santa Rosa High School that drew students from 17 local schools and districts, according to visitepicenter.com. Poppy Bank Epicenter sponsored that event's Olympic Village and provided activities, water bottles and other giveaway items for student athletes, the site notes. Special Olympics Northern California serves more than 31,000 participants and impacts hundreds of thousands of students across the region, supported by more than 21,000 volunteers and coaches, according to specialolympics.org.
Inclusive Field Days Taking Shape Beyond Santa Rosa
Similar efforts have surfaced elsewhere this year. Edwardsville High School in Illinois hosted a Unified Field Day on March 27, bringing together students from across Madison County for a morning of Special Olympics activities and sports, according to m.riverbender.com. New Castle Community School Corporation in Indiana held its first annual Unified Field Day on May 8, drawing students, staff and families together along with groups including Best Buddies, FFA, Student Government and the sign language club, per thecouriertimes.com.
Meadowlark Elementary in Kearney, Nebraska, scheduled its own inaugural Unified Track and Field Day for May 15, pairing students with and without intellectual disabilities in events like a 75-meter dash, sack race, SNAG golf and chicken throw, according to centralnebraskatoday.com. At Trabuco Hills High School, the same Unified Champion Schools model has given students with and without disabilities access to inclusive sports, inclusive classes and positive peer relationships, according to awards.csba.org. That source also notes the program has expanded beyond athletics to shape broader campus culture, promoting inclusion, equity and collaboration schoolwide — a shift Montgomery's own six-year track record now reflects on a national stage.
