Group Plays Important Role for Team Kentucky USA Games Effort
They may not have competed for medals at the USA Games, but the trio that participated in the Youth Leadership Experience (YLE) at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Game played a vital role in Team Kentucky’s USA Games effort. The Youth Leadership Experience is an opportunity for a Unified pair and an adult mentor to participate in the Games as part of an immersive, summit-style program that is non-competitive, but still attached to the official state delegation at the Games. Team Kentucky was represented at the YLE by athlete Olivia Pruitt, partner Mya Hetler and mentor Ondrea Smallwood from Unified Champion Schools National Banner Award honoree Bullitt East High School.
Their impact on Team Kentucky started well before the team ever made it to Minneapolis. During the Team Kentucky Training Camp in March. Pruitt, Hetler and Smallwood planned and ran games and activities on both the evenings at camp that helped produce a sense of unity and comradery that extended beyond individual sports delegations and lasted throughout the Games.
At the Games, the three had maybe the busiest schedule of anyone on Team Kentucky. They spent days either participating in YLE activities including leadership training programs and other activities or supporting Team Kentucky athletes at competitions or – often – both. Much of their activity time was spent at the Fan Fest venue at the National Sports Center helping with the Young Athletes Experience. They helped with setup and helped staff stations several days during the week. They also participated in an Event Management Scavenger Hunt that helped them learn about the behind-the-scenes work of putting on an event like the USA Games.
Somehow with all of that they made it to competitions nearly every day and got out to cheer on almost every Team Kentucky team.
Their YLE events closed on the Thursday night of the Games with a silent disco.
Each of the Team Kentucky YLE participants brings home important experiences from Minneapolis.
“One thing I liked about the USA Games is meeting new friends from different states like Washington,” Pruitt said, “and getting out of my comfort zone like networking. One experience I liked was working with 2- to 7-year-old Young Athletes.”
“This experience has truly been life changing,” Hetler said. “Through the Youth Leadership Experience, I learned that leadership is about serving others, building meaningful relationships and embracing inclusion while creating opportunities for everyone to succeed. In the classroom, we learned the importance of networking, using our voices to inspire change and recognizing that every role matters.
“One of the most meaningful parts of this experience was seeing the joy on the athletes’ faces and cheering on my friends from Team Kentucky,” she added. “Their determination and resilience reminded me what true inclusion looks like, and every celebration showed me the power of encouragement and community.”
Smallwood added, “Serving as the Youth Leadership Experience Mentor for Team Kentucky at the USA Games was truly a life-altering experience. For nine incredible days, I was immersed in an environment where every person was valued, respected, and celebrated exactly as they were. It was a place filled with encouragement, fun, healthy competition, and genuine acceptance, where everyone could be their authentic selves without fear of judgment or ridicule. It was a powerful reminder of what our world should look like every day.
“The YLE experience was equally inspiring,” Smallwood continued. “The girls and I had the opportunity to connect with delegations from across the country, strengthening our leadership skills while sharing ideas to create more inclusive schools and communities. Along the way, we built lifelong friendships with the incredible YLE teams from Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. These relationships will continue to inspire and support our inclusion efforts long after the Games ended. We also learned valuable practical life skills while helping prepare a superhero-themed Young Athletes event. After spending a day assembling slides, putting together strollers, inflating punching bags, and moving playground equipment, we had the privilege of leading activity stations for these young superheroes with physical and intellectual disabilities. It was incredibly rewarding to help them discover the joy of being active while participating in fun, age-appropriate activities that every child deserves the opportunity to experience. Watching my young leaders grow while witnessing the incredible spirit of inclusion that defines Special Olympics is something I will carry with me forever. I am grateful to have been part of an experience that not only changed lives but also reaffirmed the power of acceptance, leadership, and belonging.”
Hetler concluded, “I leave this experience with a grateful heart. I am thankful for every lesson, friendship and opportunity to grow. The memories will stay with me for years to come, and I hope to use what I have learned to make a positive difference in the lives of others.”
We are incredibly proud of our 2026 YLE participants, all they accomplished during their week in Minnesota and the incredible role they played as an integral part of Team Kentucky.
For more information about the Youth Leadership Experience or any Unified Champion Schools information, contact Karen Michalak-Parsley at kparsley@soky.org or 502-326-5002.