Highland High junior Mostafa Saedi may pass the ball when he’s open and encourage a teammate to shoot. As a member of the school’s unified basketball team, he plays alongside students with and without intellectual disabilities. “I like to help special education students learn skills, like how to shoot and dribble,” he said. “It’s about kindness and giving them opportunity.” Saedi and his team recently participated in a multi-team tournament at Murray High, one of several held throughout the Salt Lake Valley, providing more opportunities for teams to compete. Supported by Special Olympics Utah and the Utah High School Activities Association, the program has experienced impressive growth and now features over 200 co-ed unified basketball teams in high schools across Utah. The state unified championship is set to take place in late March. λ