Jay & Evan

For brothers Evan and Jay Hallberg, inclusion has never been something they had to learn. It’s simply been part of growing up. They joke, compete, argue and look out for each other like brothers do. And when they step onto the basketball court together at Ponaganset High School in Rhode Island, they’re not defined by their differences. They’re teammates.

Through Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools, Evan and Jay’s relationship became part of something bigger. Their story shows what can happen when young people grow up choosing to include, not because they’re told to, but because it feels completely normal. At Ponaganset, that mindset has spread far beyond the basketball court, helping create a school and wider community where people of all abilities have the opportunity to belong, lead and thrive.