Over the April break, I noticed that the boy’s tennis team had a match vs. Barrington scheduled to begin at 11:00. Since I do not do a good enough job of leaving the office and enjoying our kids participating in co-curricular activities, I saw this as an opportunity to see our juggernaut tennis team in action (they won convincingly). When I was there, I fell into conversation with a few seniors - who were there to support their friends - and we started talking about the boys’ volleyball game vs. North Kingstown the previous night. It was described by all of them as an amazing back and forth match, where our boys fed off of the emotion of the crowd during the fifth and deciding game to defeat NK. Those moments, like the girls’ basketball team’s comeback victory over LaSalle this winter, are the memories that for many will serve as indelible high school memories.
High schools are filled with those moments of personal and group triumph that can be as special for those who witnessed the event as for those who participated directly. There are a variety of ways that SKHS students and staff create those opportunities of accomplishment: it might be through painting a door to a classroom, or revising a paper so that it becomes an “A” paper or figuring out a difficult formula. While we try to celebrate those accomplishments, we often overlook or forget to celebrate them. How many community members know about our state championship gymnastics squad or the performance of our band at local festivals or the students who picked up the back parking lot a few weekends ago?
It’s important to remember that while the “news” we often read about connects to issues around budget, conflict and accusation, there is plenty to celebrate regarding the personal and group triumphs of young men and women in and out of the classroom.
Have a great weekend!
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