LAFAYETTE — Lafayette Jeff special education teacher Heather Lerma-Keltner receives a daily reminder of the power Unified Sports holds when walking the hallways between classes.
She sees athletes interacting with students who have a varsity team they can call their own in the form of unified sports.
"Those friendships remain forever," Lerma-Keltner said.
Lafayette Jeff was recognized for its unifying campus culture by being named a Unified Champion School on Aug. 14 and will be able to display a red, white, blue and gray banner on school grounds. The banner includes badges from the IHSAA and Special Olympics.
Lafayette Jeff is among 50 high schools in Indiana to receive the honor. Lafayette Jeff currently offers bocce, bowling and track and field through its unified sports program.
"I grew up with a special needs family member and saw the need to be able to do the things that every other student their age was allowed to do," Lerma-Keltner said. "So I made that the goal to make that happen here."
Athletic academic advisor Angelique Johns began coaching the unified track and field team five years ago. She described the experience of coaching unified track and field as "life-changing".
"Best thing is seeing our kids cheer for each other," Johns said. "We have some big, bulky athletes that you wouldn't think cared about unified sports but to see them cheering on the (unified athletes) and being genuinely excited if they win a race or don't win a race is heartwarming."
Overseeing the special education program is assistant principal Casey Davenport.
"It puts us out in the forefront for people to see that we are very inclusive and that's our mission here," Davenport said. "It's so get everyone opportunities no matter their differences. For me, unified sports levels that playing field for all of our students and that gives everyone an outlet to be part of a team and give back to our school community."
Davenport learned from a young age the values of giving back to her community through her father Barry Richard.
Richard is the executive director of the Beck Lane Boys and Girls Club in Lafayette.
His example, Davenport says, is what shaped her mission first as a teacher and now as principal.
"For me being his daughter, it makes him proud to see us give back to our community and that's really what he wants us to do," Davenport said. "I know he's very proud and I just know it makes him proud to see me back here at Jeff because he's a proud Jeff grad. So it's brought back memories at our house and it's special."
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com , on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson .
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Banner symbolizing support for special education programs belongs at Lafayette Jeff
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