This summer, the Youth Leadership Experience will be joining Team Colorado at the 2022 USA Games in Orlando, Florida! The Youth Leadership Experience (YLE) is a deliberately planned series of activities designed to teach Special Olympics youth leaders and develop our knowledge of inclusive youth leadership, management of Special Olympics events, and community programming.

At USA Games, we will attend leadership lessons and various other events, and will also spend a day shadowing hosts ranging from Special Olympics staff, support coaches, media and fundraising, partners and more. We will also spend time volunteering at the games and helping with various sports and interviewing people to gain perspectives on what makes each individual involved in Special Olympics story so unique.

To be selected for the YLE, we were recognized as inclusive leaders within our school and community. I have served on the Youth Activation Committee (YAC) for 3 years, and have been involved with Special Olympics for over 8 years (almost half of my life!!). Meadow (the athlete I’m participating in this experience with) and I have played a variety of Unified sports together through our school and community including basketball, soccer, softball, powerlifting, pickleball and kickball. We are both heavily involved with Special Olympics and we live inclusive lives.

Inclusion has played a huge role in my life. It has taught me many valuable lessons about respect, acceptance, and meaningful friendships. These are lessons I’ve carried all throughout my life, living each day with the intention to include everyone. Being a part of YLE is an incredible opportunity for me to further my passion for inclusion and bring what I learn back to my community and school to benefit those around me.

At USA Games, I am looking forward to meeting new people, learning about inclusion, spending time with Meadow and Rick, and watching some Unified sports!

I am feeling so honored to be selected to represent Colorado at the 2022 USA games. I have been a part of Special Olympics since second grade, when I joined my school’s project unify club. Since then, I have developed a deep passion to ending the discrimination of individuals with intellectual disabilities and unifying those from all walks of life through sports. Special Olympics has taught me many valuable life lessons about respect, acceptance, and meaningful friendships. These are lessons I carry with me throughout life, living each day with meaningful intention to include everyone. I am over the moon to further my passion for inclusion at the 2022 USA games and to learn more about how to be an inclusive leader!