SOUTH JORDAN — For many elementary school students, the last week of school is all about one thing: Field day.
It's a chance to run around with friends, play games and enjoy one last day at school before summer vacation begins.
That's what students at South Jordan Elementary were doing Wednesday afternoon. Then came the surprise.
Athletes crash field day
As hundreds of students gathered outside for field day activities, an announcement from the principal from a speaker and microphone revealed the big surprise.
“Our field day is being crashed by the Olympics,” said the principal.
Moments later, 14 Olympians and Paralympians who had recently returned from the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina walked onto the playground to a roar of cheers from roughly 500 students.
Among the athletes were Olympic medalists and Paralympic medalists who spent the next couple of hours doing much more than simply making an appearance.
They played with students, signed autographs, posed for photos and shared stories about their experiences competing for Team USA.
Interacting with the community
For many students, one of the biggest highlights was getting a chance to see Olympic medals up close.
“Most of them, they ask if they're real,” laughed Team USA speedskater Ethan Cepuran, who brought his 2022 Beijing Bronze medal and 2026 Milan Silver Medal with him. “Medals aren't just meant to stay in a box. They’re meant to be shared as part of the community.”
For fifth grader Adelyn Anderson, seeing Olympians in person felt very different from watching them on television.
“I've watched the games with my dad and stuff, and seeing people in real life, it's just like, it's crazy how one day one of us could be up there … It's so cool,” she said.
Inspiring future generations
That possibility was exactly what many of the athletes hoped students would take away from the visit.
With the Winter Olympics and Paralympics scheduled to return to Utah in 2034, Wednesday's elementary students will be teenagers and young adults when the Games arrive. Some may attend. Some may volunteer. A few might even compete.
Olympic bobsledder Kaysha Love remembers having big dreams when she was their age.
“Honestly, field day was my absolute favorite day of the year growing up,” said Love. “So, to be out here, to kind of just play with the kids, to see their passion for sports (and) to just give back to the community, it’s a blast.”
For Love, spending an afternoon on an elementary school playground was about more than reliving favorite childhood memories.
It was about helping young people believe bigger things are possible.
The impact of dreaming big
And judging by the excitement on students' faces, that message was heard loud and clear.
“I liked hockey, but I would probably like skiing because I think that would be really fun,” said fifth grader Davis Ridge when asked what sport he would like to compete in.
In many ways, that's what Wednesday's visit was all about: To dream big.
“I thought it was amazing. It's really cool to have Olympians and Paralympians here at the school,” said Ridge. “I was really excited.”
Related: U.S. figure skaters touring with Stars on Ice, but still basking in the Olympics glow
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