This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
11/30/2016 11:01 PMGuilford Public Schools (GPS) is pleased to announce that the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has awarded a grant in the amount of $40,000 to support the Unified Sports Programs and associated events in the school district. The Guilford Board of Education approved the generous donation at its Oct. 11 regular meeting.
The Unified Sports Program is an inclusive program that unites athletes with intellectual disabilities and student partners as teammates for training and competition. In Guilford, athletes and partners participate in a variety of sports and activities throughout our district. In addition, the Unified program reaches out to involve the entire Guilford community with its End the “R” Word campaign each year to raise awareness of the hurtful impact of the word “retarded.”
Guilford High School senior Gregory Sullivan is actively involved in Unified Sports as a partner athlete and coach, participating in soccer, track, and volley ball. He is also actively involved in coordinating the End the “R” Word campaign. His father, Timothy Sullivan, is a member of the Hilton Foundation Investment Committee and instrumental in the grant award.
Timothy Sullivan stated, “I’m pleased to be able to support the Unified Sports program with a grant from the Hilton Foundation. Through my son’s participation in the program, I’ve seen the wonderful positive impact it has on many of Guilford High School’s students, especially those with special needs.”
When asked why the Unified Sports Program is so important, Gregory Sullivan replied, “Students need to come together to be accepting of our differences.”
When asked how he’d like to see the grant monies allocated, he replied, “I’d like to see the [Unified] program grow, buy equipment, buy jerseys, and create a larger presence to encourage more students to learn about our mission and to join Unified Sports.”
GPS Pupil Services Director Ginny Brown said, “We are thrilled with the generosity of this grant money to our Unified Sports program in Guilford. Over the past few years, the Unified Sports program has grown immensely and has far reaching implications creating positive connections and relationships between our students with and without special needs in the community. The monies will further support the growth of this program through funding staffing as needed, supplies, and equipment. We are tremendously proud of the success of Unified and celebrate the contributions of healthy living, inclusion, and team work it fosters. This grant is greatly appreciated and will benefit the continued success of the program.”
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by international business pioneer Conrad N. Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and left his fortune to help the world’s disadvantaged and vulnerable people. From its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $1.4 billion in grants, distributing $107 million in the U.S. and around the world in 2015. For more information, visit www.hiltonfoundation.org.