Inside Victoria Fertitta Middle School, celebration isn’t just filling the gym—it’s filling every corner of the campus. After years of intentional work to ensure every student feels seen, invited, and valued, the school is marking a milestone: national recognition for inclusion. Just past the library and down the walking path some hundred feet is the gymnasium. Set up to the sides of the entrance is the school’s drum line and directly inside is a live DJ. There’s much going on as the bleachers begin to fill up with students and special guests begin to arrive. The school will be recognized by ESPN and Special Olympics North America as a National Banner school. National Banner status is one of the highest honors a school can earn through Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools®—recognizing campuses where inclusion isn’t occasional but embedded in daily culture.
Unified pair Vivienne Durkin and Cam Johnson stand alongside ESPN Las Vegas Raiders reporter Ryan McFadden midcourt ready to get the crowd locked in. After some opening remarks, Conner Fields, a professional BMX racer and a Las Vegas native, comes walking out of the pop-up mascot that’s standing in the doorway. He begins to walk to each corner of the gymnasium and encourages the student body to cheer. He seemingly turns it into a friendly competition before whispering something to the emcee. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his Olympic gold medal from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. It’s a rare moment to witness such a prestigious award.
“It’s one of those things with any group of people, there’s not many of them just floating around so it’s usually the first time anybody’s ever seen it, but I think it’s extra impactful when you do it for kids because you show kids what’s possible,” Fields said of the gold medal. “I’m from Las Vegas, I went to the same school district, I grew up 10 minutes down the road and so for them to see someone who came from the same place reach the pinnacle of sport hopefully motivates them and inspires them.”
Greg Siqueiros, who has been the principal for six years, really echoes that sentiment from Fields about showing students what’s possible. In the last five years, the school has put a heavy focus on introducing leadership skills throughout the school, which in turn “provides them [students] with a voice.”
Oftentimes, students might feel they are just being invited to things, but having leadership academy opportunities within reach allows them to be a part of the brains of the event. The school has what’s called “buddy benches.” Siqueiros said they never want anyone to sit alone at lunch or to feel left out for any reason. They also have Special Olympics Unified Sports® teams and after-school activities, too. These efforts aren’t standalone programs—they shape how students treat one another every day, from lunchroom conversations to leadership decisions.
“I want everyone to be inclusive and kind to everybody because that’s all anybody wants,” Durkin said about the community at the middle school. “To be included, have strong friendships with people and just to be nice. Be kind to everybody.”
The fun is just getting started with the help of WWE superstar Ivy Nile and WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart. A mixture of events, like bowling and a student-teacher basketball game, gets the crowd to roar with excitement. With each rolling of the human bowling ball and each basket made, you could hear the crackle from the screams and the shaking following the foot stomps on the bleachers. It’s got to be one of the all-time loudest moments in that gymnasium. But it represents years of hard work to ensure inclusion is at the forefront of what the school stands for. It’s not just something they do, but it’s who they are as a community.
“Special Olympics really unifies the school,” Marian Abad, a school fan-favorite special education teacher, said. “We have the inclusive club, the Unified team, and it just brings a great bond to all the kids.”
Throughout the entire day, you could see the joy and pure, authentic relationships with everyone involved. From students high-fiving one another as the WWE superstars entered the gymnasium, to the cheers during the Unified activities and when the banner was presented. Victoria Fertitta Middle School is the first school in the state of Nevada to earn such an award, and they’ve set the bar high for future schools that want to follow in their footsteps.
