Bound Brook Unified Program Builds a Culture of Inclusion, Connection and Belonging

students with and without disabilities come together to build friendships, support one another, and experience what it means to be part of one team.

For example. Bound Brook’s Unified Track program is now in its third year, growing from approximately eight student-athletes each year to 10 competing athletes this season. The
program runs year-round, with Unified athletes practicing and competing alongside Bound Brook High School varsity teams across all three seasons: cross country in the fall, winter track in the winter, and spring track in the spring.

This integrated approach ensures Unified athletes are not participating in a separate or seasonal program. Instead, they are active members of the Bound Brook athletic community, training alongside their peers and representing the district together.

The impact extends well beyond the 10 Unified athletes. Approximately 75 varsity student- athletes serve as partners and mentors throughout the school year, running alongside Unified athletes, leading warmups and supporting their teammates during practices and meets. What began as a program has grown into a point of pride throughout the track and field community.

“Unified is so much more than just sports,” said Supervisor of Special Education Robin Thompson. “It allows our students an opportunity to build relationships, challenge themselves, and see what they can accomplish together.”

The district’s commitment to inclusion also comes to life through Friendship Day/Fest, an annual event held ahead of the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics.

Students are placed into different teams, each representing a value: enthusiasm, trust and kindness, happiness, growth and teamwork, respect, strength and unity, compassion and inclusion, and passion and school spirit. Throughout the day, students participate in activities designed to encourage connection, teamwork, and support.

The experience has made a lasting impact on students across the district. Students in the STAR program have grown tremendously in confidence, while student partners consistently describe Friendship Day as one of the most meaningful parts of their school year.

That impact has even followed students beyond Bound Brook. Former students have taken what they experienced through Friendship Day and created similar opportunities in college. Gabriella Silva, Class of 2024, and Emma Baker, Class of 2025, are both now students at Villanova University, where they are taking on leadership roles to organize their own “Friendship Day” weekend in November. Beatriz Arruda, Class of 2026, is attending The College of New Jersey and has joined her college’s Unified club as a partner.

For Bound Brook, those experiences demonstrate the lasting influence of a program built around connection and belonging.

“The response from students has been overwhelmingly positive on both sides of the partnership,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Alvin Freeman. “Moments like that are exactly why this program matters.”

Looking ahead, the district hopes to continue expanding the Unified program, both by increasing the number of Unified athletes and by deepening integration with Bound Brook’s varsity programs. The district also hopes to introduce additional Unified sports based on student interest and the opportunities available throughout the year.

Bound Brook students in the Unified program also joined students from across Somerset County for the first-ever Unified Fall Fest on Oct. 7 at Iron Peak. The event gathered students for a day centered on fun and friendship, featuring rides, inflatables, games and prize booths, along with lunch and Kona Ice.

As the Unified program continues to grow, its mission remains simple: creating a culture where every student can belong, compete, build meaningful connections, and be celebrated as part of one team.

At Bound Brook School District, this is what it means to be #BoundToAstound.