I'm not a fan of the "everyone is great" school of recognition. Once the fundamentals are learned and you reach a certain age of awareness and accountability, it's time to learn the stark real-life lesson that not everyone wins every time. Life doesn't award participation trophies.
This time though, it's different. If you participated in gym night, then the reality that one team will win and another will lose was clear. However, all of the participants won, and here's why.
Those sixth through twelfth graders learned real life lessons like:
** Just because I worked hard does not mean I or my team will win. I and my team may not have won, but my hard work is still meaningful.
** A team together is stronger than the individual alone, but the team fails without the individual contribution.
** I am an individual, but my contribution toward the team goal raised all of us up. I may not necessarily be good performing a cheer, acting in the skit, or playing the sports, but I do know where I can contribute, and I did.
** I can be a good winner, because the next time I could be the loser. I can be a good loser, because I could be the winner the next time.
Were you there? What other life lessons do you think our kids learned last night?
The next time someone tells you that Morrisville produces lower quality students, point to gym night and tell them that you were there and saw the high quality of our students. Ask if they saw this alleged low quality themselves. The answer will probably be "NO", because they were not there to see the reality of the schools, and the good students that are the products of the Morrisville school system. Sadly, that probably includes the school board members and their sycophants who are bent upon the destruction and eradication of this little school system. I know I did not see any of them there. If this is wrong, please feel free to send word of your school board member sighting. Take a look at that "Citizenship" theme that was included in the programs last night. The next time you hear them talking, ask yourself if they are demonstrating "good citizenship" or "poor citizenship."Thank you to the MHS administration, teachers, staff, and especially the students, who worked together to make this a success. You deserve a lot more than a mention here for your hard work and dedication. Also, a special thank you to everyone who participated in the "Locks of Love" donations. I know the hair will grow back, but I hear several Bulldogs had a rather close shave.
