Special Olympics Youth of the Week: Alyssa Noblin and Audrey Welty
The following post was written by Alyssa Noblin and Audrey Welty, a Special Olympics Unified pair from Special Olympics Iowa. In July of 2018, Alyssa and Audrey attended the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Washington to participate in the Youth Leadership Experience (YLE). Along with Unified pairs from across the country, Alyssa and Audrey were chosen for the YLE because of their leadership skills and passion for inclusion. Congrats on being named the #SOYouthOfTheWeek!
Alyssa Noblin — Special Olympics Iowa Athlete:
My time serving in Seattle at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games Youth Leadership Experience was amazing. We did so many cool things that helped me to be a better leader and to build my confidence. One of my favorite things was helping the little kids complete an obstacle course (during the Special Olympics Young Athletes Festival). I realized how I had to have leadership skills to help them complete this. As a Special Olympics athlete, I am so thankful that I got this opportunity to travel and to meet people and to learn so much in just a week.
Audrey Welty — Special Olympics Iowa Unified Partner:
The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games Youth Leadership Experience was definitely the best experience of my life. I met some of the most amazing people and did some of the coolest things while there. This experience helped me realize how much I can do even at my young age. It helped me look into the future and make a plan of something that I CAN achieve even though I may not have originally thought so.
My favorite part of the week is hard to choose — because everything was so amazing — but I think I would have to say my favorite was helping at the Young Athletes Festival. It was such a neat experience that I had never gotten to do before and I loved it! Seeing the kids just play with each other in that inclusive environment and making friends was wonderful. I am so thankful for the opportunity I was given and I look forward to putting the leadership skills I learned to good use in the future. I hope to go back to the USA games in the future and experience them from a different point of view!
Learn more about what Alyssa, Audrey, and many youth pairs across the country accomplished during the Youth Leadership Experience by clicking HERE.
