Going for Gold in Kindness at Parley’s Park Elementary 

PARK CITY, Utah, Feb. 13, 2026 — As the Olympic Games begin in Milan, Italy, students at Parley’s Park Elementary School felt the Olympic spirit in their own gym Friday as two former Winter Olympians shared stories about competition, perseverance and the power of kindness.

Valerie Fleming, a Winter Olympic silver medalist in bobsled, and Gar Trayner, a three-time Olympian in slalom representing Great Britain, spoke with students, answered questions and gave them the unforgettable opportunity to hold an Olympic medal.

Fleming opened the assembly by describing what it feels like to launch down an icy track at nearly 80 miles per hour, explaining that even at the highest level, competition often comes from within your own team.

“In bobsled, there might be 10 athletes fighting for two spots,” Fleming said. “You’re competing against your teammates every day. But that doesn’t mean you stop helping each other.”

She shared a story about a teammate who noticed she was struggling during training and chose to help, even though they were battling for the same position.

“She didn’t have to film me or give me advice,” Fleming said. “But she knew that to be her best, she needed to compete against the best. If you help someone and then you beat them, you know you beat them at their best, and that feels much better.”

Fleming encouraged students to think about how their actions impact others.

“When someone is unkind, it doesn’t feel good,” Fleming said. “So ask yourself, why would you want to make someone else feel that way? On hard days, I try to think about how it makes me feel and choose to be different.”

Trayner followed with stories from his Olympic career, including an act of sportsmanship that left a lasting impression. When he arrived at the 2002 Winter Games in Utah, his skis were delayed and did not arrive before his race. A Swiss competitor heard about the situation and offered his own extra skis to test and compete on.

“My skis arrived the day after I competed,” Trayner said. “He didn’t have to help me. We were from different nations, fighting for the same podium. But he chose to.”

Trayner told students that while skiing looks like an individual sport, athletes train, travel and live as a team.

“You perform alone, but you train and live as a team,” Trayner said. “When you celebrate someone else’s success, they celebrate yours. That’s how teams grow stronger.”

Students eagerly stepped up to microphones to ask questions about fear, pressure and handling bad days. Fleming admitted nerves were part of nearly every race.

“I was scared almost every time,” Fleming said. “Sometimes I would jump in, hold on and think, please don’t crash. But I focused on my training. All the little things add up, and you remind yourself that you know how to do this.”

Trayner added that pressure is something athletes learn to manage.

“You can’t control the crowd,” Trayner said. “You can only control how you prepare. Kindness is part of that preparation too, being patient with yourself and with others.”

When asked what students could do to show kindness during recess, Trayner offered a simple challenge.

“How long is recess?” he asked.

“Twenty minutes,” students called out.

“What could you do in five seconds?” Trayner said. “Turn around. Look around. If someone isn’t having fun, invite them in. That’s all it takes.”

He emphasized that helping others should not depend on personal gain.

“The absolute essence of team and friendship is helping someone when it doesn’t benefit you personally,” Trayner said. “It should be second nature.”

One of the most memorable moments of the assembly came when students were invited to carefully hold Fleming’s Olympic silver medal. The weight of the medal represented years of discipline, teamwork and perseverance, and students examined it with wide eyes and quiet respect.

Principal Kim Howe closed the assembly by thanking the athletes and challenging students to carry the message of kindness beyond the gym.

As the world turns its attention to Milan for the Olympic Games, students at Parley’s Park Elementary were reminded that while medals are earned through speed and strength, character is built through everyday choices to support, encourage and uplift others.