Home Base April 20, 2017 Going for the Gold

The End Is Near Sage testing is a sign that we are quickly coming to the end of the school year. As of today, there are 26 school days left in the 2016-2017 school year.

Wait, there’s a problem! Some people want to quit and give up on finishing the year by not doing their best and staying in the race to the finish. The teachers at Bell are committed to helping you finish the race the best you can. That means we will keep teaching and working with you to be successful in earning the best grades you can possibly get so you are ready for next year. 9th grade students must earn credit in every class to be on- track to graduate.

Meet Dave Wottle Dave Wottle was a track athlete at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. His specialty was the 1600 meter run (One mile). His coach talked him into competing in the 800 meter race as a way to warm up for his event. Dave didn’t want to do it because the 800 meter race is a faster race than he had been training in which to compete. Dave was tired and both of his knees were sore from running in qualifying races the day before.

Running for the Gold Dave was assigned to lane three at the start of the race. The athletes are required to stay in their lane for the first 100 meters, then they can move to any lane they wish. At the end of the first 100 meters, Dave was dead last in the race. A full 20 meters (65.62’) behind the nearest runner. At one point in the race he was so far behind many people thought he was injured or simply out classed.

Let’s watch the race. . .

Staying in the Race FYI: Dave won the race by 0.003/second Don’t quit on yourself. Keep doing your assignments and homework. Be at school. Make it to classes on time. Ask for help when you need it. Treat others, the building, and yourself with respect. Celebrate your successes.

Critical Question: What are some things you can do to make sure you finish the school year as strong as possible? Write down a couple of your ideas and work on them every day. You will succeed and be happier.