Megan O’Donnell: Building a Culture of Inclusion at Glendale High School
For nearly two decades, Megan O’Donnell has dedicated her career to shaping young lives as a physical education and adaptive PE teacher at Glendale High School. After 19 years in the classroom, she has become a cornerstone of Glendale’s Unified Sports program—an initiative that has transformed not only her students but the culture of the entire campus.
Megan’s connection to Special Olympics Arizona began early in her career when she was asked to oversee Glendale’s program. In 2017, she expanded that work by introducing Unified Sports, which pairs students with and without intellectual disabilities on the same teams. What started as a small initiative has since grown into one of the school’s most celebrated programs.
“Kids are begging me to get into my class to be a part of it,” Megan shared. “It’s kind of my baby—I pretty much started the Unified program here at Glendale.”
Her biggest motivation was the need for inclusivity. With a large special education population, Megan saw the importance of building opportunities for meaningful connection. She noticed that many general education students were already supportive of their peers with disabilities, and Unified Sports gave them a platform to form lasting friendships.
Those friendships often extend beyond high school. Former athletes and partners remain in touch, continuing the bonds that began on the field or court. “It’s just really cool to see because prior to this, there wasn’t a lot of crossover between special education and mainstream students,” Megan explained. “Now it’s the culture we’ve built here at Glendale High School.”
While Megan has coached a wide range of sports—basketball, softball, badminton, volleyball, and cheer—she believes Unified is uniquely powerful. The program goes beyond competition; it creates pathways for success. Several Unified athletes have even joined general education sports teams, further bridging the gap between student groups and reinforcing a culture of inclusion.
Some of her favorite memories come from her team’s successes. While many of Glendale’s general education teams struggle to make playoffs, Unified teams have qualified for sectionals and even won state championships—earning respect across campus. Beyond the victories, Megan treasures the experiences her athletes have gained, such as traveling to Washington, D.C., for Capitol Hill Day.
“That’s the kind of opportunity they never would have had without Unified and Special Olympics Arizona,” she said.
As SOAZ celebrates 50 years, Megan hopes administrators, teachers, and the community will continue supporting Unified for generations to come. With retirement still more than a decade away, she is already preparing others to carry on the work. “I’ve started training other teachers and working with a co-coach, so the program will still be strong if I ever leave. Longevity is the goal,” she emphasized.
For Megan, the impact of Unified runs deep. “Honestly, it’s the reason I come to work,” she said. “It’s my favorite class. Seeing the smiles on their faces—it just makes everything worth it.”
Her gratitude extends to SOAZ and its partners, whose support has made Glendale’s thriving program possible. “We wouldn’t be able to do this without you,” Megan reflected.
From building lasting friendships to bringing home state titles, Megan O’Donnell’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and a commitment to creating a genuinely inclusive community—one that will continue to shine at Glendale High School for years to come.
