CVU one of five U.S. high schools recognized for inclusive environments

Champlain Valley Union High School was recognized through a virtual celebration by ESPN and the Special Olympics Program for being a “Unified Champion School.” Others were in New Mexico, Iowa, Delaware and Minnesota.

Athletes and a partner in Special Olympics run.Photo by Al Frey
Athletes and a partner in Special Olympics run. Photo by Al Frey.

Sports are a major field of activity for Unified Schools. “A unified sports team involves students with intellectual disabilities who we call athletes and students without intellectual disabilities who we call partners,” according to Missy Shiner Shea, CEO of Special Olympics Vermont.

CVU’s unified teams include basketball, bocce, bowling and soccer.

Both Congressman Peter Welch and Senator Patrick Leahy congratulated the Redhawk community for its strong “commitment to supporting the health and development of all athletes.”

CVU has been working with Special Olympics Vermont for 22 years.

Redhawk senior Eliza McLean said on WCAX local sports news that Special Olympics made her “extremely comfortable.”

State champion CVU men’s lacrosse brings in new coach
Tom Garvey replaces Dave Trevithick after his 14 seasons as Redhawk LAX coach. Dave’s shoes will be hard to fill. He guided the Hawks to nine Division I state titles.

However, Garvey comes to Hinesburg from a lacrosse hotbed in Maryland, having himself earned All-American stature at Johns Hopkins.

He began CVU’s workouts as has been its history, with practices on the school parking lot. The interscholastic season rests now in the hands of the pandemic.

All-star teams dominate spring high school sport news
According to Saturday’s Burlington Free Press, the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl between football teams from Vermont and New Hampshire is still on schedule for August 7 at Castleton University. The Green State team includes four CVU players: Isaac Bergeron, Seth Boffa, Shane Gorman and Will Murphy.

Hockey Coaches’ all-league teams
Women’s hockey all-league teams as selected by the coaches include three CVU/MMU players, Karina Bushweller, a defense person, and two forwards, Riley Erdman and Tess Everett. Alicia and Katherine Veronneau are academic all-stars.

On the men’s side, CVU’s Jack Averill was named Division I first-team goalie, and Cam Saia is a third-team forward.

Coaches name several Redhawks to D-I all-league basketball team
Inspired by coach of the year Mike Osborne, CVU’s Devine Rogers made the coaches’ all-league team for 2021.