Sisters Aly and Emily Campos Dance Their Way to Special Olympics Gold

At a Glance

• Sisters Aly, 17, and Emily, 16, Campos are Utah Virtual Academy students whose family is in its ninth year with the school.
• They have won gold in dance at Special Olympics Utah three years in a row, in 2024, 2025, and 2026.
• They dance together in a special needs class at Premier Ballroom and Dance Academy in Layton.
• Their mother, Becky, credits UTVA's teachers, resources, and open communication for helping both girls grow more independent and self-advocating.
• After three years and a wall of medals, the sisters are taking a break from dance to start swim lessons.

Aly and Emily Campos have competed in dance at Special Olympics Utah for three straight years, and the sisters brought home gold each time. Both girls are students at Utah Virtual Academy, where their family is now in its ninth year.

Aly, 17, is a senior. Emily, 16, is a junior. They dance together in a special needs class at Premier Ballroom and Dance Academy in Layton, and that class carried them to the state stage in 2024, 2025, and 2026. This year they won gold with their group number.

Their mother, Becky Campos, watched the medals turn into something bigger.

“Hearing them say they're proud of themselves, that they feel strong, as a parent that means a lot.”

Becky Campos

The work started with one hour of class every week. Their teacher choreographed each piece to fit every dancer's skill level, built in required floor work and jumps, and pushed each student to grow.

“No matter how old our kids are or what disability they have, they still need to be pushed. They still need to learn.”

Becky Campos

Some weeks the girls arrived tired after a day of online classes and homework. They always left glad. At home the sisters practiced moves together and played their competition song until they knew every count.

In 2025 the sisters performed a duet, and Emily added a solo that took extra practice days. Dancers could compete in only two events, so Emily entered her solo as an exhibition piece.

“She told me, 'I want Aly to have two medals.'”

Becky Campos

The girls are planners. Weeks before each competition they talk through the schedule. The night before, they settle when to wake up, when to leave, and when to do their makeup. On competition day the family arrives three hours early so dancers from classes across Utah can rehearse on the stage, find their marks, and practice their bows.

The nerves show up right on time.

“They always tell me, 'I'm practicing my smile. Did you see my smile?' Yep, I saw your smile.”

Becky Campos

The gold surprised them every time. The judging grew tougher after the first year, and the girls knew their medals reflected real work. They cheered just as loudly for the dancers who took home silver and bronze.

The same growth shows up in school. Before UTVA, the girls spent two to three years in traditional classrooms. After the family made the switch, Becky learned her third grader Aly did not know basic math. Much of Aly's school day, she found out, had gone to sitting at a table with paper and crayons while staff attended to other students.

“If I would have known that, I could have advocated for her. It felt more like I was dropping my kids off at daycare. I didn't know what my girls were learning.”

Becky Campos

She found UTVA while searching for options, and the family never looked back. She calls the first three years the hardest, as the girls learned routines, expectations, and how to manage their own day.

“My kids learned how to regulate themselves and take responsibility for their homework and for attending class. Now they're the ones who reach out to their teachers when they need extra support. They advocate for themselves.”

Becky Campos

Communication with teachers makes the difference for her. Teachers text, email, and call. They tell her when one of the girls is having a hard day, and they work with her when a daughter needs to miss class and catch the recording later.

“I've always felt like there was an open line of communication. The teachers have always been advocates for my kids.”

Becky Campos

Some parents worry that online students miss out on social skills or on services like occupational and speech therapy. Becky's experience runs the other way.

“UTVA is amazing at having the resources each student needs. And if they aren't there, they look into how to get them.”

Becky Campos

The academics impress her too. Aly comes to her talking about chemistry, with lessons her teachers break down to her level. Emily will take zoology this year, an early start toward her goal of becoming a veterinary technician.

Aly has her own plans. She wants to work at an animal shelter, and she wants to bag groceries at Smith's, where an employee discount would help her grow her collection of Beanie Boos. She brings those stuffed animal friends to class, and her teachers know every one by name.

After three years and a wall of medals in shadow boxes, the sisters have decided to take a break from dance. They start swim lessons next. If the pool leads them back to Special Olympics Utah, their mom will be in the stands watching for those smiles.

Utah Virtual Academy is an accredited K-12 online public charter school serving students across Utah. To learn more, visit utahvirtualacademy.org or contact LuAnn Charles, Student Services Administrator, at (801) 688-2104 or lucharles@utahvirtual.org.