(Photo courtesy Saddleback Valley Unified School District.)
Trabuco Hills High School leads the way in creating inclusive opportunities for students.
Recent graduate Brady Sugg spent the past four years at Trabuco Hills High School participating in swimming, track and field, flag football, basketball, soccer, Best Buddies, leadership activities and more.
It was all thanks to the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools programs.
Sugg became one of the school’s most accomplished Unified athletes, competing at CIF State Championships, earning multiple Unified Track and Field titles and being selected to Team SOSC at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same sports team for training and competition. It was inspired by a simple principle: Training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.
Sugg’s high school journey culminated at graduation, where he delivered a Unified graduation speech alongside his friends and Unified partners, Brady Meade and Amadeo Miller. His accomplishments reflect the power of creating opportunities for students of all abilities to participate, lead and succeed together.
“I wanted to participate in everything,” Sugg said. “I am so thankful my high school had so many opportunities for me. Most importantly, I got to do it with my peers, and I know we’ll be friends forever.”
His mother, Erin Sugg, said her son’s experience demonstrates the lasting impact of Unified programming. “These programs create opportunities for students to see one another’s strengths and recognize that everyone shares the same desire to belong, grow and achieve excellence,” she said. “Brady found a platform to showcase his talents and let his voice be heard.”
The program’s impact has extended far beyond the Trabuco Hills campus. The school helped inspire the growth of Unified opportunities throughout the Saddleback Valley Unified School District (SVUSD), including the creation of the SVUSD Unified School Games and Unified Arts Day.
What began as the SVUSD Unified School Games has grown into one of the largest Unified Champion Schools events in Southern California, now bringing together more than 800 students from 13 schools each year for sports, leadership activities and school spirit.
Another signature event is the district’s annual Unified Arts Day, where students participate in music, dance, theater, ceramics and visual arts. Other districtwide activities, including the Unified Scarecrow Contest, provide additional opportunities for students of all abilities to collaborate, celebrate their talents and build lasting friendships.
The growth of the program has led to several notable milestones, including Trabuco Hills becoming Orange County’s first Unified Champion School in 2015 and Southern California’s first school to offer a Unified PE class in 2017. In 2018, SVUSD became Orange County’s first Unified Champion School District, helping expand inclusive experiences for students across the Saddleback Valley.
“Over the years, we have watched our Unified programs flourish in incredible ways,” said Superintendent Crystal Turner. “What began as the vision of a small group of students and educators has grown into one of the most inspiring and widely embraced programs in SVUSD. More students than ever are participating, leading and building meaningful connections through these inclusive opportunities, and we are incredibly proud of the culture of belonging that continues to grow across the Saddleback Valley.”
It began as a small lunchtime Unified Sports club at Trabuco Hills in 2015 and has grown into one of the most recognized Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools programs in California. Over the years, the program expanded into year-round Unified Sports, Unified classes, leadership opportunities, arts programs and school-wide activities designed to foster acceptance, belonging and meaningful relationships. Through a partnership with Special Olympics Southern California, the school has created a culture where students with and without disabilities learn, lead, compete and build friendships together.
Unified Champion Schools programming focuses on inclusion through Special Olympics Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership and whole-school engagement. At Trabuco Hills, those principles have become part of everyday campus life.
“I find the inclusivity and culture that the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program brings to our campus to be paramount in creating a positive environment for all students and a space where students can be seen and belong,” said Principal Alicia Foulk. “We have a school where we not only accept, we celebrate and through these moments, create a space for success and belonging.”
Much of the program’s success can be attributed to the leadership of Special Education Teacher Kara Johnson, who helped turn the vision of a small group of students and educators into one of Southern California’s most recognized Unified Champion Schools. Johnson has been a driving force behind the expansion of Unified programming at Trabuco Hills, helping create a campus culture where all students feel welcomed, valued and connected.
“Unified Champion Schools programming has created meaningful opportunities for students of all abilities to learn, connect and succeed together,” Johnson said.
Today, Trabuco Hills offers five Unified classes along with multiple clubs and programs that connect students through athletics, leadership, academics and the arts. Students work side by side, support one another and celebrate each other’s successes while developing empathy, confidence, communication skills and teamwork.
Students can participate in a wide variety of experiences throughout the year, including Unified PE, Unified Sports, Best Buddies, Unified Arts Day, the SVUSD Unified School Games, leadership activities and even Unified graduation speeches delivered during commencement ceremonies. These experiences help students build friendships, develop confidence and strengthen connections across campus.
Trabuco Hills’ leadership has also gained recognition across Orange County. For the past two years, the school has hosted a SOSC Unified Youth Summit for Orange County schools, bringing together student leaders from across the region to focus on advocacy, leadership, Unified Sports and creating more inclusive school communities.
Unified athletics continues to be one of the most visible parts of the program. Through partnerships with CIF and SOSC, Trabuco Hills students have competed successfully in Unified track and field, advancing to CIF Southern Section Masters Meets and CIF State Championships.
One of the program’s proudest milestones came in December 2025, when Trabuco Hills became the first CIF Southern Section Unified Flag Football Tournament Champion. The achievement reflected years of dedication, teamwork and growth within the school’s Unified Sports program.
Beyond the awards and championships, the program has helped create lasting friendships and stronger connections among students of all abilities.
Alyssa Griffiths is the director of Communication Services at Saddleback Valley Unified School District.
PHOTOS
1. Trabuco Hills High School Unified athletes celebrate after winning at the Unified track and field. Courtesy Saddleback Valley Unified School District
2. A student high-fives the Trabuco Hills High School mascot at the SOSC Unified Youth Summit, hosted by Trabuco Hills High School. Courtesy Saddleback Valley Unified School District
3. SVUSD students compete in the annual SVUSD Unified School Games. Courtesy Saddleback Valley Unified School District
4. SVUSD students participate in the annual SVUSD Unified Arts Day. Courtesy Saddleback Valley Unified School District
5. SVUSD students participate in the annual SVUSD Unified Arts Day. Courtesy Saddleback Valley Unified School District
6. THHS students Brady Sugg, Brady Meade and Amadeo Miller on graduation day. Courtesy Barbara Schulman
7. THHS students Brady Sugg, Brady Meade and Amadeo Miller make the school’s Unified Speech on graduation day. Courtesy Joyanne Goodfellow
By Alyssa Griffiths
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