Cape Coral, Fla. (September 21, 2026) — Thrive Academy has been officially recognized by Special Olympics Florida as a National Banner Unified Champion School, the highest honor within the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program. The designation celebrates schools that have built inclusive environments where students with and without intellectual disabilities learn, lead, and grow together.
The Unified Champion Schools program combines inclusive youth sports, whole-school engagement, and youth leadership opportunities to promote school communities where all students feel valued, respected, and included. National Banner status is awarded to schools that meet rigorous national standards across these three components.
“Earning National Banner status is a reflection of the heart of our entire school community,” said Kim Verblaauw, Principal of Thrive Academy. “Our students have shown what’s possible when everyone is given the chance to belong, compete, and lead together. This recognition belongs to every student, teacher, and family who helped build a culture of inclusion here at Thrive.”
Thrive Academy’s efforts included launching a Special Olympics bowling team and basketball team, as well as a Unified basketball team in partnership with Fort Myers High School, alongside inclusive pep rallies that brought the whole school community together in celebration of every student. These sports programs were made possible thanks to the leadership of Coach Garret Copeland, ESE teacher and Special Olympics Coordinator at Fort Myers High School, and the support of the Fort Myers Green Wave Unified Club, whose partnership helped Thrive Academy launch basketball, bowling, and flag football this year. Copeland, recipient of the Family Initiative Partner Award at Family Initiative’s 2026 Autism Acceptance Awards Gala, was recognized for the exceptional impact of his work in the field of autism, and the school credits his continued partnership with helping expand inclusive athletic opportunities for its students and families.
Special Olympics Florida will present the school with its National Banner at a celebration event, recognizing the students, staff, and families who helped make this achievement possible.
“Sports give our students so much more than a game to play,” said David Brown, President and Co-Founder of Family Initiative. “Through Unified sports, they build confidence, learn to communicate and work as a team, and form friendships that carry into every part of their lives. Watching Thrive Academy’s students grow through these programs is exactly why this work matters.”
For more information about the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program, visit www.specialolympicsflorida.org.
About Thrive Academy
Thrive Academy is a private specialty school serving students with autism, dedicated to providing an individualized, inclusive education that supports each student’s academic, social and personal growth. For more information about Thrive Academy, visit thriveacademyfl.org
About Family Initiative
Family Initiative (FI) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2015 in Cape Coral, Florida, that supports families affected by autism through clinical services (ABA, occupational therapy, and early diagnosis and intervention), community-based programs, and Thrive Academy, a private K–graduation school for students with autism. FI employs almost 100 people across Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Dade Counties. Learn more at fi-florida.org
