This June, athletes from around the United States gathered in Minnesota to compete at the Special Olympics USA Games! MICC graduates Kayla ‘20, Michael ‘24, and Aaron ‘24 were selected last summer to join Team Minnesota. Michael and Aaron have been training to compete in soccer and Kayla with her father in unified golf, to prepare for the big games!
Read our previous blog posts about their training and preparation for the big event!
In addition to the athletes, 2 MICC staff volunteered at the event, 1 MICC graduate (Grant ‘23) volunteered as a photographer, and several MICC participants attended as spectators to support their friends. MICC was also a proud sponsor of Special Olympics Team Minnesota, supporting local kickoff events ahead of the USA Games! Check out the photo galleries and read a recap of each of their experiences below!
Kayla Possai ‘20 – unified golf with father Kurt Possai
Kayla is a 2020 graduate of MICC’s College program. She now lives in Richfield with roommates and currently works at Lunds and Byerlys. Kayla has been participating in Special Olympics for over 8 years and previously competed in swimming at the 2019 Special Olympic World Games in the United Arab Emirates! This year, Kayla and Kurt joined 15 other unified golf teams on Team Minnesota at the USA Games. Earlier in June, they were asked to represent Team Minnesota (along with another unified golfing pair) by golfing at Hazeltine National course in Chaska for Media Day for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Kayla and Kurt were interviewed by KSTP, you can watch their interview here.
During the USA Games, Kurt and Kayla participated in the 9-hole competition. They spent the entire week with the golf team of 17 individuals, which included the athletes, unified partners coaches and caddies. As they were competing during the week, they were also featured in a reel posted by Skratch! You can watch it on Instagram here.
Kurt reflects on the week, “It was a wonderful experience. Great opportunity to meet players and teams from other states. Highlights included golfing with Kayla on Father’s Day. I’ll always remember that time. Kayla really focused on the 5 days of golfing and it paid off as we finished 3rd in our division taking a bronze medal at the games.”
Throughout the week, Kayla welcomed her brother, as well as family friends who flew in from Florida, to cheer her on all week! Some local family from around Minnesota also joined, including her grandma and niece and nephew!
During the time Kayla has been involved with the Special Olympics, she has gotten to meet many different people and expanded her social connections. Her father says It has helped her to become more independent and confident in her abilities. Plus, it’s a ton of fun! He says, “The atmosphere is always uplifting. I would certainly recommend getting involved with Special Olympics. The focus of supporting individuals on the autism spectrum and individuals with intellectual disabilities has such a positive impact.”
Aaron Cardenas ‘24 and Michael Goldberger ‘24- soccer
Aaron and Michael both graduated from MICC’s College program in 2024 and now live independently. Aaron works at as a Dietary Aide at Minnesota Masonic Home and Michael owns his own surplus resale business! They were selected for Team Minnesota soccer and have been training with the team since last summer. As the USA Games began, they enjoyed attending the athlete breakfasts, opening ceremonies and competitions. Aaron’s mother Vanessa shares, “Everywhere we went, volunteers, staff, and athletes were smiling, high-fiving, and spreading joy. Everyone was genuinely happy to be in Minnesota, and it was clear that every athlete felt welcomed, celebrated, and valued.”
Aaron’s family, including his grandparents from Texas, were in attendance to cheer him on! Michael and Aaron had few losses during the week, and one cancellation due to the storms, but Aaron scored a goal from the middle of the field during the championship game! He said, “It made me feel excited and helped my team do better.” They ended the week receiving silver medals!
Reflecting on the experience, Aaron shares, “My highlights were playing against other teams from all over the country. They were all friendly and had good sportsmanship. I was able to get pins, and give away and receive player cards from other Special Olympic athletes from different states. It was a highlight hanging out with my teammates all week. Also, seeing my family, MICC classmates, and friends cheer me on.”
Why should others consider joining the Special Olympics? Aaron says, “Special Olympics means a lot to me because I get to play with people who are like me with special needs. It makes me feel successful… and it’s good exercise to stay healthy.”
Aaron’s mother Vanessa shares, “We feel incredibly blessed to be part of the Special Olympics community. It provides a place where our young adult can grow, thrive, build meaningful relationships, and be celebrated for exactly who he is. In addition, Aaron received so much support from his MICC community of staff and friends, who cheered him on and felt like they were part of this incredible celebration. The support, encouragement, and sense of belonging we experienced throughout the week are gifts our family will always cherish.”
Grant Scobbie ‘23 – Volunteer Photographer
MICC graduate Grant ‘24 was selected as a volunteer photographer for this year’s Special Olympics USA Games. His first shift was capturing the athlete arrivals via the Special Olympics airlift at the Saint Paul Downtown Airport. He also spent time photographing the fan zone during the events, and capturing award ceremonies, including a few fun photos of Michael and Aaron receiving their silver medal for soccer!
MICC Special Olympics Athletes
As part of MICC’s partnership with Special Olympics Minnesota, some of our participants and their families were able to join in special events leading up to the games.
Gary Josephson, MICC Board Member, and son Mark Josephson ‘10, an MICC graduate and Special Olympics athlete himself, attended the kickoff breakfast alongside the Team Minnesota athletes, where they heard speeches from John Randle, Ian Leonard, as well as Governor Tim Walz and First Lady Gwen Walz.
Kari Thayer ‘08, an MICC graduate and a Special Olympics athlete, along with Jeff and Susan Thayer attended the Pre-Party and the Opening Ceremony to begin the exciting week!
MICC Staff and Participants
MICC Staff Logan and Amelia volunteered with event and athlete support onsite at the USA Games! MICC Community members also had the opportunity to go and support our MICC athletes playing for the Minnesota team! Michael and Aaron were so excited to see their peers cheer them on!
MICC was thrilled to be involved in this year’s incredible USA Games experience and we’re so proud of our MICC graduates for their years of work training and competing all the way up until the big event. Congratulations to Michael, Aaron, and Kayla on their medals and a job well done!
MICC (Minnesota Independence College and Community) provides transformative education and training for autistic and neurodivergent adults to live independently, work purposefully and thrive in community. With hands-on learning and caring guidance, MICC participants accomplish things they never imagined, from daily living tasks like taking public transportation or managing finances to building and sustaining a career and lifelong friendships. Learn more about our inclusive community and exciting new programs in Richfield, Minnesota at micc.org.
Learn more about the Special Olympics and get involved here.