“Let’s go football! Go field hockey! Go soccer! Go cross country!” The pep rally leaders were a cyclone of energy, hyping up their peers to support the athletes about to compete that weekend. Then, without skipping a beat: “Let’s hear it for the robotics team! Give it up for speech and debate!” If the shift from athletics to stem and performance teams registered with anyone in the audience, they didn’t show it. Each group received raucous applause. For Milton students, recognizing athletic prowess in the same breath as other skills was seamless and natural. For me, it was one moment—out of thousands of similar moments—to witness something our students do with astonishing regularity and enthusiasm: celebrate each other. Read More.
