On Jan 17th, Platte County School District was proud to host the Special Olympics Missouri (SOMO) 2026 KC Area Basketball Tournament. Previously held in another district, the event brought approximately 500 athletes from 27 Kansas City–metro teams to our community. To make the tournament possible, competitions were held across multiple venues, including the PCHS Fieldhouse, PCHS North Gym, Platte County Middle School, and Siegrist Elementary School.
Our own Platte County Unified Special Olympics team did an outstanding job representing the district, showing strong Pirate pride and sportsmanship while earning multiple second-place medals in Team Skills, Individual Skills, and 3x3 Unified basketball. In addition to our athletes’ success, we are especially proud that Platte County was able to fully staff the event with our own officials, referees, and student volunteers. The level of support from our students, staff, and community, including Tucker Time Coffee and Fetterman's Deli, exceeded all expectations and truly reflected the spirit of inclusion and teamwork that defines Platte County Schools.