GREENSBORO – Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) athletes from high schools across the state showcased their dedication and sportsmanship at the 2025 North Carolina High School Athletic Association Track & Field State Championship, on May 16 at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. Three Johnston County high schools participated in the statewide event.
Eighty-five SONC athletes and Unified partners (those without an intellectual disability) competed in a series of Unified events, including the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 4×100-meter relay, and shot put. These events were part of the Unified Sports® program, which brings together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to compete on the same team and foster inclusion through sport.
Participating High Schools:
Apex High School (Wake County Public Schools)
Broughton High School (Wake County Public Schools)
Clayton High School (Johnston County Public Schools)
E.E. Smith High School (Cumberland County Public Schools)
Garinger High School (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools)
Garner Magnet High School (Wake County Public Schools)
Hoggard High School (New Hanover County Public Schools)
Jack Britt High School (Cumberland County Public Schools)
Laney High School (New Hanover County Public Schools)
New Hanover High School (New Hanover County Public Schools)
North Brunswick High School (Brunswick County Public Schools)
Pine Forest High School (Cumberland County Public Schools)
Richmond Senior High School (Richmond County Public Schools)
South Johnston High School (Johnston County Public Schools)
Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School (Wake County Public Schools)
Southern Lee High School (Lee County Public Schools)
Terry Sanford High School (Cumberland County Public Schools)
West Johnston High School (Johnston County Public Schools)
“The NCHSAA State Championship highlights what sports are meant to be, a place where determination, teamwork, and acceptance thrive. This is what breaking barriers looks like, and it’s how we build a future where inclusion is the norm. Unified competition shows that everyone deserves a place on the track” said Isabella Williams Senior Director of Youth Initiatives for SONC.
Special Olympics athletes participating in the event are part of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® initiative, an education-based program that uses sports to build inclusive school communities joining people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team to promote social inclusion through shared sports experiences. ESPN has served as the Global Presenting Sponsor of Special Olympics Unified Sports since 2013.
