A little more than a month ago, I threw a couple of hard-to-spell words at you in an effort to sound impressive as I reported on Woodglen's Spelling Bee. As I reported, eighth-grader, Valerie Noonan, carried the torch for the district into the regional finals of the 24th Annual Scripps Nation Spelling Bee.
I would venture to say that few people outside of the Noonan family made the trek to Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. If you had, you would have been treated to quite a competition. After 23 rounds of competition, 48 of the 51 competitors had been eliminated; the two remaining competitors - Priyanka Thirumurti of Moravian Academy and our own Valerie Noonan. After 10 rounds of head to head competition, Valerie finished in second place.
Martin K. Till, President and publisher of the Express-Times, and the host of the bee, described this year's competition as the most exciting in the 24 year history of the regional competition. Valerie represented our school, our district and our community well - we are very proud of her accomplishment. Her second place finish was the best ever for a Woodglen Student, as she was one word away from qualifying for the National Competition in Washington, DC.
Congratulations, Valerie, on a job well done!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The R word ...
Special Olympics and Best Buddies International have joined together with a host of other organizations to launch a campaign called Spread the Word to end the Word. Young people around the world are embracing this challenge as they see just how hurtful it can be to call someone a "retard" or claim that something is "retarded." While it probably doesn't fall officially into the category of hate speech, it feels just like that to an intellectually disabled person, his or her friends and family.
Let me start out my comments by saying that I am not a fan of political correctness. One of the costs of a free society is the fact that we need to live with people who choose to use freedoms to be rude, obnoxious and even hateful. Given that, it is important to remember that a school setting is not the same as the outside world. School is a place for learning; it is a place where kids need to feel safe and comfortable.
Regardless of whether we are talking about school or talking about society, there is a tenet that I believe we should all live by: JUST BECAUSE WE CAN DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD. Outlawing words should not be the job of the government, but should be the responsibility of good people who care about others. The use of labels such as "retard" to demean others or to refer to something as stupid is simply unacceptable to good people who care about others. Many people, young people in particular, throw terms around with little regard as to how they will affect others. "I wasn't talking about a person" or "It means stupid, not anything against a mentally challenged person" are just a couple of the excuses that I've heard when someone was called on the carpet for using the term.
I'm not sure if you know anyone who is intellectually disabled. I do. Outside of their disability, most people would claim that these people are just the same as you and me. I don't think that is true. The intellectually disabled people that I know, young and old alike, are kinder, gentler and more innocent than anyone I know. The people I know with intellectual disabilities don't tend to judge others, are more apt to accept others and are quick to show affection. The intellectually disabled people I know don't feel sorry for themselves, work hard and overcome more challenges in a day than you or I will face in a lifetime.
Being the principal of a school, I deal with hundreds of students every day. I also deal with countless conflicts and challenges. It is easy to get upset, frustrated and sometimes even angry. Nothing makes me feel better than sharing some time with one of my favorite students. She's happy. She likes to joke around. She understands playful sarcasm. She loves to share her successes. She's willing to accept help with her challenges. She would never hurt anyone. She always puts a smile on my face. Oh, yeah, and she's got an intellectual disability. Nothing makes me feel worse than seeing someone being hurtful to her by using the R-word. You don't have to call her it, when you say it, it hurts. You don't have to say it when she's around, her friends and family are hurt when you say it. You don't have to be malicious when you say it, when you trivialize it, it hurts.
When I heard about the campaign to Spread the Word to end the Word I was excited. I was excited because this is an opportunity to do something right, not because we have to, but because we should. If you think this whole thing is over the top and oversensitive, I challenge you to spend some time at the Special Olympics or a local Buddy Walk. I bet if you do, you'll meet someone just like one of my favorite students. He or she will make you smile. He or she will not judge you. He or she will inspire you. He or she will convince you that we should actively work to "end the word." Not because we must, but because we should.
If you would like to take the pledge to "end the word" you can go to http://www.r-word.org/.
Check out actor John C. McGinley's message about Ending the R-word
at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE_5_BbZlbI
Want to share this message with your son or daughter? Check out Joe Jonas's message at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8doRD9MB0Qw
The time has come to End the R-word - not because we must, but because we should.
Let me start out my comments by saying that I am not a fan of political correctness. One of the costs of a free society is the fact that we need to live with people who choose to use freedoms to be rude, obnoxious and even hateful. Given that, it is important to remember that a school setting is not the same as the outside world. School is a place for learning; it is a place where kids need to feel safe and comfortable.
Regardless of whether we are talking about school or talking about society, there is a tenet that I believe we should all live by: JUST BECAUSE WE CAN DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD. Outlawing words should not be the job of the government, but should be the responsibility of good people who care about others. The use of labels such as "retard" to demean others or to refer to something as stupid is simply unacceptable to good people who care about others. Many people, young people in particular, throw terms around with little regard as to how they will affect others. "I wasn't talking about a person" or "It means stupid, not anything against a mentally challenged person" are just a couple of the excuses that I've heard when someone was called on the carpet for using the term.
I'm not sure if you know anyone who is intellectually disabled. I do. Outside of their disability, most people would claim that these people are just the same as you and me. I don't think that is true. The intellectually disabled people that I know, young and old alike, are kinder, gentler and more innocent than anyone I know. The people I know with intellectual disabilities don't tend to judge others, are more apt to accept others and are quick to show affection. The intellectually disabled people I know don't feel sorry for themselves, work hard and overcome more challenges in a day than you or I will face in a lifetime.
Being the principal of a school, I deal with hundreds of students every day. I also deal with countless conflicts and challenges. It is easy to get upset, frustrated and sometimes even angry. Nothing makes me feel better than sharing some time with one of my favorite students. She's happy. She likes to joke around. She understands playful sarcasm. She loves to share her successes. She's willing to accept help with her challenges. She would never hurt anyone. She always puts a smile on my face. Oh, yeah, and she's got an intellectual disability. Nothing makes me feel worse than seeing someone being hurtful to her by using the R-word. You don't have to call her it, when you say it, it hurts. You don't have to say it when she's around, her friends and family are hurt when you say it. You don't have to be malicious when you say it, when you trivialize it, it hurts.
When I heard about the campaign to Spread the Word to end the Word I was excited. I was excited because this is an opportunity to do something right, not because we have to, but because we should. If you think this whole thing is over the top and oversensitive, I challenge you to spend some time at the Special Olympics or a local Buddy Walk. I bet if you do, you'll meet someone just like one of my favorite students. He or she will make you smile. He or she will not judge you. He or she will inspire you. He or she will convince you that we should actively work to "end the word." Not because we must, but because we should.
If you would like to take the pledge to "end the word" you can go to http://www.r-word.org/.
Check out actor John C. McGinley's message about Ending the R-word
at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE_5_BbZlbI
Want to share this message with your son or daughter? Check out Joe Jonas's message at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8doRD9MB0Qw
The time has come to End the R-word - not because we must, but because we should.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Spelling Bee
Quick, how do you spell latitudinarian? How about anticoagulant? Ok, so that doesn't quite work as well as it did with the Geography Bee!
Unfortunately for students at Woodglen School, the Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee does not provide them the words for them in print. Fortunately, though, some of our students don't need to see the words in order to spell them.
In January, under the direction of Mr. James Peralta, Woodglen's Enrichment Specialist, fifth through eighth graders competed in this year's Bee. The Scripps Bee has taken place every year since 1925 when Frank Neuhauser won by correctly spelling gladiolus. The process begins at the school level, where participating schools determine their representative to move on to the regional level. Woodglen's champion will compete at the regional level sponsored by the Express Times. The regional champion then moves on to compete at the national level in Washington, DC.
What does it take to be a Spelling Bee champion? Most great spellers have a few things in common. First of all, they are great readers. Reading great books is the surest way to enhance one's vocabulary. So if you want to spell well, pick up a book! Second, they work at it. Whether it is a word journal, having someone ask questions or even checking the dictionary on a regular basis, great spellers all have to work hard. Finally, use spell check! Wait a minute, that's what I do and I never even came close to winning the spelling Bee. OK, forget that last one - if you want to go far in the Spelling Bee, you should work hard and read a lot. Watching Akeelah and the Bee might not hurt either.
At this time, Woodglen School is proud to announce that eighth grader, Valerie Noonan is the 2010 Spelling Bee champion. Our runner up, Paige Whitmore, is a sixth grader. Aaron Osgood was the eighth grade runner up. Valerie now moves on to regional competition which will take place in March.
We are also happy to announce grade-level winners for this year's Bee:
James Webber - Fifth Grade
Niocle Kozak - Seventh Grade
We are proud to have Valerie move on to represent our school and community and look forward to watching her succeed at the next levels. For more information about the Scripps Spelling Bee, check out their website at http://www.spellingbee.com/.
Unfortunately for students at Woodglen School, the Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee does not provide them the words for them in print. Fortunately, though, some of our students don't need to see the words in order to spell them.
In January, under the direction of Mr. James Peralta, Woodglen's Enrichment Specialist, fifth through eighth graders competed in this year's Bee. The Scripps Bee has taken place every year since 1925 when Frank Neuhauser won by correctly spelling gladiolus. The process begins at the school level, where participating schools determine their representative to move on to the regional level. Woodglen's champion will compete at the regional level sponsored by the Express Times. The regional champion then moves on to compete at the national level in Washington, DC.
What does it take to be a Spelling Bee champion? Most great spellers have a few things in common. First of all, they are great readers. Reading great books is the surest way to enhance one's vocabulary. So if you want to spell well, pick up a book! Second, they work at it. Whether it is a word journal, having someone ask questions or even checking the dictionary on a regular basis, great spellers all have to work hard. Finally, use spell check! Wait a minute, that's what I do and I never even came close to winning the spelling Bee. OK, forget that last one - if you want to go far in the Spelling Bee, you should work hard and read a lot. Watching Akeelah and the Bee might not hurt either.
At this time, Woodglen School is proud to announce that eighth grader, Valerie Noonan is the 2010 Spelling Bee champion. Our runner up, Paige Whitmore, is a sixth grader. Aaron Osgood was the eighth grade runner up. Valerie now moves on to regional competition which will take place in March.
We are also happy to announce grade-level winners for this year's Bee:
James Webber - Fifth Grade
Niocle Kozak - Seventh Grade
We are proud to have Valerie move on to represent our school and community and look forward to watching her succeed at the next levels. For more information about the Scripps Spelling Bee, check out their website at http://www.spellingbee.com/.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Geography Bee
Quick, what's the capital of the United States? Everyone probably got that one pretty easily. (Washington, DC, if you had any doubts).
How about this one: What empire, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe during its zenith in the 13th century A.D., used the ancient city of Karakorum as its headquarters? Well, if you were a middle school student participating in the 2010 National Geographic Geography Bee, you might just be expected to identify that empire. For those of you who don't know, it is the Mongol Empire. (Don't worry, if I didn't have the answer key I probably wouldn't have known it either.)
Thanks to the efforts of sixth grade social studies teacher Jessica Miller, Woodglen's sixth, seventh and eighth graders have an opportunity to participate in the Geography Bee annually. This year, our students participated in the 22nd annual National Geographic Bee which was sponsored by Google. The process is quite extensive as students begin with a qualifying test before moving on to the school-wide bee. Thirty-seven students qualified for the school level bee, a number which included 16 sixth graders. These students were asked a series of questions to answer orally and the field was narrowed to nine. The questioning continued until four students earned spots in the semi-finals: Kaya Cousin, Philip Dacey, Connor Heft and Andrea Jindracek.
What does it take to win the geography bee? Well, it helps to be able to answer following:
I want to congratulate our four semi-finalists, and wish Andrea the best as she goes forward in the competition. The staff and students of Woodglen are proud to have such an outstanding representative.
Oh, by the way, in case you were looking for the answers to the questions above, and I know you were,
How about this one: What empire, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe during its zenith in the 13th century A.D., used the ancient city of Karakorum as its headquarters? Well, if you were a middle school student participating in the 2010 National Geographic Geography Bee, you might just be expected to identify that empire. For those of you who don't know, it is the Mongol Empire. (Don't worry, if I didn't have the answer key I probably wouldn't have known it either.)
Thanks to the efforts of sixth grade social studies teacher Jessica Miller, Woodglen's sixth, seventh and eighth graders have an opportunity to participate in the Geography Bee annually. This year, our students participated in the 22nd annual National Geographic Bee which was sponsored by Google. The process is quite extensive as students begin with a qualifying test before moving on to the school-wide bee. Thirty-seven students qualified for the school level bee, a number which included 16 sixth graders. These students were asked a series of questions to answer orally and the field was narrowed to nine. The questioning continued until four students earned spots in the semi-finals: Kaya Cousin, Philip Dacey, Connor Heft and Andrea Jindracek.
What does it take to win the geography bee? Well, it helps to be able to answer following:
- In which African country, founded by freed American slaves, is mask-making an art form often related to social status?
- A North African country, with coastlines on the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, allocates about 20 percent of its budget to state-sponsored education. Name this country.
- Which country is the world's leading producer of silver?
- Founded as the southern terminus of a railroad line to Chattanooga, Tennessee, what city is now the major transportation center for the Southeast region?
- What large body of water separates the Delmarva Peninsula from the southern part of New Jersey?
I want to congratulate our four semi-finalists, and wish Andrea the best as she goes forward in the competition. The staff and students of Woodglen are proud to have such an outstanding representative.
Oh, by the way, in case you were looking for the answers to the questions above, and I know you were,
- Liberia
- Morocco
- Peru
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Delaware Bay (if you said Delaware River, you were incorrect, sorry!)
Friday, January 15, 2010
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
-The Declaration of Independence
As we get set to enjoy a three day weekend, I want to urge everyone to take a few moments to reflect on why we are off on Monday.
In April, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. traveled to Tennessee where he was shot and killed by an assassin's bullet. The day before his death, King delivered a prophetic speech, his famous "I've Been to the Mountain Top" speech (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1L8y-MX3pg&feature=related).
Martin Luther King, Jr., born on January 15, 1929, grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of 15, King enrolled in college. He earned degrees in sociology and theology and became a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama where he organized a boycott of city buses in response to the treatment of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat to a white passenger. The result of this boycott was a US Supreme Court ruling that deemed bus segregation unconstitutional.
In August of 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. led the famous March on Washington, where a crowd of more than 250,000 blacks and whites heard his famous "I Have a Dream" speech (http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=1759663481).
The legacy of Dr. King lives on today, more than four decades after his death. It is difficult to grasp the fact that in my lifetime there were Americans who were not able to enjoy basic rights in their own country. It is difficult for me to come to grips with the fact that, while we teach about the abolition of slavery in 1863, over 100 years later, and in my lifetime, there were Americans who were not given the equality granted by the Declaration of Independence.
As a former history teacher, I know that most students look at history as a study of things that happened a long time ago. Our children look at the mid sixties as "a long time ago." My guess though is that most of you were alive in the mid 1960's. Right? As you think about the work of Dr. King, remember that he led the fight for equality for all Americans during our lifetime. The Montgomery bus boycott took place in 1955, not 1855. The "I Have a Dream" speech was not delivered in the time of Abraham Lincoln, it was delivered in the time of you and me.
We live in a largely homogenous community - a very white, very middle to upper middle class community. There is nothing wrong with that, my children have grown up in the same environment. When we live in this type of community, however, it is easy for racism to creep into our lives. When there is so much "sameness" it is easy for us to be critical, judgmental and scared of "differentness." I have to say, it is refreshing to see that our students have not fallen prey to the evils of racism. While that is a credit to their upbringing, I want to remind you that the battle cannot be considered won.
Our kids are still young - most of them pre-teens. As they move forward, they will be exposed to a world that is less and less tolerant. It is true that today, in 2010, we are closer to the "dream" of Martin Luther King, Jr., but, sadly, the dream has not been totally realized. Hate groups exist. Racism exists. Sexism exists. We constantly hear about people who wield hatred and violence against others based on their religion, their color, or their sexual orientation. As our kids move forward, we need to equip them with the tools to fight the hatred that exists outside of the protective fortresses that we have created to protect them - our schools, our churches, our homes.
Regardless of your personal morality, I am sure we all share the belief that all human beings, whether they are the same as "us" or different from "us," should be treated with respect and with the rights endowed by our creator. As Americans, we all have a responsibility to continue to fight for Dr. King's dream that one day our children "will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." As Americans, we all have a responsibility to leave our children with an America where men and women stand together despite their differences. As Americans, we all have a responsibility to assure that our country lives out the idea that "all men our created equal."
In a recent interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Rev. Samuel "Billy" Kyles, who was there when Martin Luther King, Jr. was fatally shot, shared his thoughts on the state of King's dream.
"Each generation must find what it can do to help keep the dream alive," he said. "As a witness, I can confess that you can kill the dreamer, but you cannot absolutely kill the dream. The dream is very much alive," he said.
I Have Been to the Mountain Top
I Have a Dream
"Dream is Very Much Alive," Says Friend of Martin Luther King, Jr.
-The Declaration of Independence
As we get set to enjoy a three day weekend, I want to urge everyone to take a few moments to reflect on why we are off on Monday.
In April, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. traveled to Tennessee where he was shot and killed by an assassin's bullet. The day before his death, King delivered a prophetic speech, his famous "I've Been to the Mountain Top" speech (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1L8y-MX3pg&feature=related).
Martin Luther King, Jr., born on January 15, 1929, grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of 15, King enrolled in college. He earned degrees in sociology and theology and became a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama where he organized a boycott of city buses in response to the treatment of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat to a white passenger. The result of this boycott was a US Supreme Court ruling that deemed bus segregation unconstitutional.
In August of 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. led the famous March on Washington, where a crowd of more than 250,000 blacks and whites heard his famous "I Have a Dream" speech (http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=1759663481).
The legacy of Dr. King lives on today, more than four decades after his death. It is difficult to grasp the fact that in my lifetime there were Americans who were not able to enjoy basic rights in their own country. It is difficult for me to come to grips with the fact that, while we teach about the abolition of slavery in 1863, over 100 years later, and in my lifetime, there were Americans who were not given the equality granted by the Declaration of Independence.
As a former history teacher, I know that most students look at history as a study of things that happened a long time ago. Our children look at the mid sixties as "a long time ago." My guess though is that most of you were alive in the mid 1960's. Right? As you think about the work of Dr. King, remember that he led the fight for equality for all Americans during our lifetime. The Montgomery bus boycott took place in 1955, not 1855. The "I Have a Dream" speech was not delivered in the time of Abraham Lincoln, it was delivered in the time of you and me.
We live in a largely homogenous community - a very white, very middle to upper middle class community. There is nothing wrong with that, my children have grown up in the same environment. When we live in this type of community, however, it is easy for racism to creep into our lives. When there is so much "sameness" it is easy for us to be critical, judgmental and scared of "differentness." I have to say, it is refreshing to see that our students have not fallen prey to the evils of racism. While that is a credit to their upbringing, I want to remind you that the battle cannot be considered won.
Our kids are still young - most of them pre-teens. As they move forward, they will be exposed to a world that is less and less tolerant. It is true that today, in 2010, we are closer to the "dream" of Martin Luther King, Jr., but, sadly, the dream has not been totally realized. Hate groups exist. Racism exists. Sexism exists. We constantly hear about people who wield hatred and violence against others based on their religion, their color, or their sexual orientation. As our kids move forward, we need to equip them with the tools to fight the hatred that exists outside of the protective fortresses that we have created to protect them - our schools, our churches, our homes.
Regardless of your personal morality, I am sure we all share the belief that all human beings, whether they are the same as "us" or different from "us," should be treated with respect and with the rights endowed by our creator. As Americans, we all have a responsibility to continue to fight for Dr. King's dream that one day our children "will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." As Americans, we all have a responsibility to leave our children with an America where men and women stand together despite their differences. As Americans, we all have a responsibility to assure that our country lives out the idea that "all men our created equal."
In a recent interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Rev. Samuel "Billy" Kyles, who was there when Martin Luther King, Jr. was fatally shot, shared his thoughts on the state of King's dream.
"Each generation must find what it can do to help keep the dream alive," he said. "As a witness, I can confess that you can kill the dreamer, but you cannot absolutely kill the dream. The dream is very much alive," he said.
I Have Been to the Mountain Top
I Have a Dream
"Dream is Very Much Alive," Says Friend of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Friday, January 8, 2010
What do we teach our kids?
This past week I read two different articles about high school sports. They were both interesting and both could teach a lesson. The two, however, could not have been more different.
On Tuesday night, January 5, Yates High School in Houston, the nation's top high school boys basketball team, posted a 170 - 35 victory over their opponents, Houston (Lee) High. As if 170 points weren't enough, Yates scored 100 in the first half. (http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1036676)
"I feel very disrespected right now," Lee coach Jacques Armant told Jenny Dial of The Houston Chronicle. "I don't understand why Yates just kept scoring and pressing when they were up so much. These are kids. It isn't good to do that to other young men."
Yates coach Greg Wise didn't apologize for his team's play. "We practice running, pressing, trapping every day," he told The Chronicle. "If we get to a game and I tell them not to do what we do in practice, I am not coaching well. I am not leaving my starters in the whole game. We have 15 guys, and all 15 play."
Obviously there is a difference between playing hard and running up the score. In the end, the embarrassment was too much for Lee. In the third quarter, one of Lee's players intentionally fouled an opponent that led to a fight on the court. Approximately 20 players were ejected and both teams had to finish the game with only five players each.
Whose fault is a brawl like this? I would say it lies firmly on the shoulders of Wise, Yates' head coach. This is the kind of thing that is wrong with youth sports.
Contrast this fiasco with the other story I saw this week.
On Monday night, Kirkwood (Missouri) High and Coach Bill Gunn demonstrated the kind of thing that is RIGHT with youth sports. (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/bryanburwell/story/85971FDCA335EF3C862576A20018DAB0?OpenDocument)
David "Chubbs" Stillman, a four-year team manager and special needs student, took the court as a player. So many people stepped up to make Monday night a night that "Chubbs" would never forget - Gunn who planned this night nearly two months ago, opposing coach, Chris Wilkerson of Fox High who, along with his team, set the stage for Stillman to end the game with a 3-point shot, Miles Artis, the Kirkwood teammate who gave up his number 23 jersey for the night so that "Chubbs" could wear Michael Jordan's number, Ahmad Hicks, a Kirkwood senior who lobbied the coach to get back in the game in the fourth quarter so that he could pass the ball to David Stillman, and the students and fans of Kirkwood who made the night truly unforgettable with cheers, chants and a storming of the court following the game.
I've attached both stories so that you can read them for yourselves.
The lesson, here, that I learned, is that we as adults have so many opportunities to affect the lives of young people. Whether it is through athletics, or through our daily lives, parents, teachers, coaches and adults often forget the tremendous power we have in influencing kids. The story of David Stillman also reminds us that even kids have the chance to make a difference in the lives of others.
Today, and every day, please be mindful of the fact that our kids learn not really from what we say, but what we do. Kids are much more astute than we give them credit for being and they will pick up on every cue - intentional and unintentional.
The two men in the attached stories taught many lessons to young people. You and I do that every day as well. What kind of lessons do you want to be teaching? We all need to think carefully before we speak, and, more importantly, before we act.
Yates High School Scores 170-35 Victory Over Opponent
"Special" Is the Right Word at Kirkwood
Special Night for Stillman in Missouri
On Tuesday night, January 5, Yates High School in Houston, the nation's top high school boys basketball team, posted a 170 - 35 victory over their opponents, Houston (Lee) High. As if 170 points weren't enough, Yates scored 100 in the first half. (http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1036676)
"I feel very disrespected right now," Lee coach Jacques Armant told Jenny Dial of The Houston Chronicle. "I don't understand why Yates just kept scoring and pressing when they were up so much. These are kids. It isn't good to do that to other young men."
Yates coach Greg Wise didn't apologize for his team's play. "We practice running, pressing, trapping every day," he told The Chronicle. "If we get to a game and I tell them not to do what we do in practice, I am not coaching well. I am not leaving my starters in the whole game. We have 15 guys, and all 15 play."
Obviously there is a difference between playing hard and running up the score. In the end, the embarrassment was too much for Lee. In the third quarter, one of Lee's players intentionally fouled an opponent that led to a fight on the court. Approximately 20 players were ejected and both teams had to finish the game with only five players each.
Whose fault is a brawl like this? I would say it lies firmly on the shoulders of Wise, Yates' head coach. This is the kind of thing that is wrong with youth sports.
Contrast this fiasco with the other story I saw this week.
On Monday night, Kirkwood (Missouri) High and Coach Bill Gunn demonstrated the kind of thing that is RIGHT with youth sports. (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/bryanburwell/story/85971FDCA335EF3C862576A20018DAB0?OpenDocument)
David "Chubbs" Stillman, a four-year team manager and special needs student, took the court as a player. So many people stepped up to make Monday night a night that "Chubbs" would never forget - Gunn who planned this night nearly two months ago, opposing coach, Chris Wilkerson of Fox High who, along with his team, set the stage for Stillman to end the game with a 3-point shot, Miles Artis, the Kirkwood teammate who gave up his number 23 jersey for the night so that "Chubbs" could wear Michael Jordan's number, Ahmad Hicks, a Kirkwood senior who lobbied the coach to get back in the game in the fourth quarter so that he could pass the ball to David Stillman, and the students and fans of Kirkwood who made the night truly unforgettable with cheers, chants and a storming of the court following the game.
I've attached both stories so that you can read them for yourselves.
The lesson, here, that I learned, is that we as adults have so many opportunities to affect the lives of young people. Whether it is through athletics, or through our daily lives, parents, teachers, coaches and adults often forget the tremendous power we have in influencing kids. The story of David Stillman also reminds us that even kids have the chance to make a difference in the lives of others.
Today, and every day, please be mindful of the fact that our kids learn not really from what we say, but what we do. Kids are much more astute than we give them credit for being and they will pick up on every cue - intentional and unintentional.
The two men in the attached stories taught many lessons to young people. You and I do that every day as well. What kind of lessons do you want to be teaching? We all need to think carefully before we speak, and, more importantly, before we act.
Yates High School Scores 170-35 Victory Over Opponent
"Special" Is the Right Word at Kirkwood
Special Night for Stillman in Missouri
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thanksgiving
The school year seems to be flying by faster than ever. It is hard to believe that we have completed a marking period and are finishing up conferences. As we try to keep up with the many things that occupy our busy lives, I always look at Thanksgiving as the time we are given to slow down, for even just a day or two, to reflect and to give thanks.
While many people are struggling this Thanksgiving, plagued by a down economy or the loss or threat of loss of a job, there is no better time to look past the challenges to discover that even in the toughest times, there are always blessings. While economic issues often lead to high anxiety, it also allows us to look past our "stuff" to find that there are much more important things for which we should be thankful.
Most of us have food on our tables. For those who don't, our local food pantry continues to be a bastion of light. Our own students have had the great opportunity to work with the food pantry, giving back to the community while learning that there are struggling people in our own township. As you eat dinner during the holidays, don't forget to give thanks and remember those who are going hungry.
Most of us have a warm coat to wear this winter. For those who don't, local organizations are stocking up on donated coats. Many of you contributed to our recent coat drive - parting with a coat that has been sitting in your closet so that someone may be warm this winter. As you put your coat on each cold morning, don't forget to give thanks and remember those who are cold.
Most of us have a home to live in. Throughout the United States, many people have lost everything, including their homes due to the economy. As you sit in your heated house this holiday season, don't forget to give thanks and remember those who are sleeping on the ground outside.
There are so many little things that often get overlooked because we cannot see through or beyond our stuff. As stuff becomes less available and far less important, it becomes easier to find what is really important. Those who have experienced a reduction in salary can still give thanks that they have a job. Those who see their child is not bringing home straight A's can still give thanks that they have a healthy child. Those who cannot buy the large flat screen television or laptop can still give thanks that they have their families intact. Those who have loved ones fighting overseas can still give thanks that they are alive and are willing to sacrifice for our freedom.
In 1789, George Washington gave the first Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation. Since then, nearly every United States President has done the same. Take a moment to check out this link to see how our leaders have given thanks throughout the history of our great nation.
http://www.pilgrimhall.org/ThanxProc.htm
This Thanksgiving will be a tough one for many people. I encourage you though, to focus on what is good in your life rather than what is going wrong; focus on what you do have rather than what you don't have; focus on how your life may have become better due to the economy rather than how it has become worse. It is by giving thanks that we teach our children to help others, to cherish blessings and to have hope. If anything positive can come out of the current recession, maybe it can be that we examined our lives to determine what is truly important.
Happy Thanksgiving.
While many people are struggling this Thanksgiving, plagued by a down economy or the loss or threat of loss of a job, there is no better time to look past the challenges to discover that even in the toughest times, there are always blessings. While economic issues often lead to high anxiety, it also allows us to look past our "stuff" to find that there are much more important things for which we should be thankful.
Most of us have food on our tables. For those who don't, our local food pantry continues to be a bastion of light. Our own students have had the great opportunity to work with the food pantry, giving back to the community while learning that there are struggling people in our own township. As you eat dinner during the holidays, don't forget to give thanks and remember those who are going hungry.
Most of us have a warm coat to wear this winter. For those who don't, local organizations are stocking up on donated coats. Many of you contributed to our recent coat drive - parting with a coat that has been sitting in your closet so that someone may be warm this winter. As you put your coat on each cold morning, don't forget to give thanks and remember those who are cold.
Most of us have a home to live in. Throughout the United States, many people have lost everything, including their homes due to the economy. As you sit in your heated house this holiday season, don't forget to give thanks and remember those who are sleeping on the ground outside.
There are so many little things that often get overlooked because we cannot see through or beyond our stuff. As stuff becomes less available and far less important, it becomes easier to find what is really important. Those who have experienced a reduction in salary can still give thanks that they have a job. Those who see their child is not bringing home straight A's can still give thanks that they have a healthy child. Those who cannot buy the large flat screen television or laptop can still give thanks that they have their families intact. Those who have loved ones fighting overseas can still give thanks that they are alive and are willing to sacrifice for our freedom.
In 1789, George Washington gave the first Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation. Since then, nearly every United States President has done the same. Take a moment to check out this link to see how our leaders have given thanks throughout the history of our great nation.
http://www.pilgrimhall.org/ThanxProc.htm
This Thanksgiving will be a tough one for many people. I encourage you though, to focus on what is good in your life rather than what is going wrong; focus on what you do have rather than what you don't have; focus on how your life may have become better due to the economy rather than how it has become worse. It is by giving thanks that we teach our children to help others, to cherish blessings and to have hope. If anything positive can come out of the current recession, maybe it can be that we examined our lives to determine what is truly important.
Happy Thanksgiving.
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