Chanting “U.S.A., U.S.A.,” the students at Kendall Elementary School held their own version of the Olympics closing ceremony Friday. Beginning the day, the students marched in the gym — one class at a time — with each class carrying its own flag.
Over the past two weeks, the school has been participating in its own version of the Winter Olympic Games. Each grade learning a different skill, the students then showed off to the rest of the school what they had been taught.
According to physical education teacher Justin Laureno, the students have been learning about teamwork and integrity. He said it is important for the students to learn to work together and experience what it means to do the right thing.
“Trust in yourself, trust in the people around you and it will all be fine,” he said while speaking to the students.
Each class got the opportunity to show what they had practiced during the games. The kindergartners demonstrated their parachute routine, followed by the first-grade class who did sign language to Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.”
The second-grade class showed off its jump roping techniques, third-grade juggled and the fourth-graders demonstrated various circus arts and balancing. Fifth-grade students displayed constant motion and the students in sixth-grade performed a drumming routine.
Four members of the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey National Team made an appearance during the ceremony. As the current 2009 World Champions, the team has been training in Buffalo over the past few months and are getting ready to head to Vancouver for the Paralympic games in March.
“We definitely think you’ve done a great job,” said team captain Andy Yohe, who was in a train accident at the age of 16. “We’re very excited about the upcoming games.”
Yohe told the students that each member of team have different disabilities and stories to tell. But even though they have disabilities, they didn’t let that stop them.
“The only disability in life is a bad attitude,” he said.
Each of the four members spoke to the students about how they became disabled, loosing their legs in car accidents or having the disability since birth, but each also spoke about how they did not let their disability ruin their lives.
“I didn’t think I’d be representing my country at the Olympics,” said Taylor Chace, who broke his back playing hockey at the age of 16. “At the end of the day, we’re all hockey players.”
Their coach, Ray Maluta, of Spencerport, spoke to the students about the desire and passion each player has for sled hockey.
“I’m very fortunate to work with these gentlemen,” he said. “I’m the fortunate one to get to work with people who have a desire to be the best.”
He told the children that each member on the team made a decision to be committed, to listen and to work really hard.
Before leaving, the team was presented a banner that the students made, reading, “Good Luck 2010 USA Sled Hockey Team,” that the students signed and wrote messages on. Maluta said they will hang it in the locker room in Vancouver so the team can look at it before they compete.
Students can go to www.kendallschools.org and follow the progress of the team through the Olympic games.
Contact reporter Rikki Cason at 798-1400, ext. 8227.
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Rikki Cason/Staff
Discussion
February 15, 2010
A winning team
Kendall Elementary celebrates the Olympic games
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