As the Blue Team’s final team member raced across the finish line for the Kid’s Club Olympics Relay, you could see the look of defeat crossing the faces of their competition, the Red Team. Friendly competition has always been a part of our Olympic games and our local leaders have made sure to emphasize sportsmanship, respect, and kindness in our everyday activities. However, I felt overjoyed when one of our students demonstrated this sportsmanship. This was one lesson he had taken away from our week of fun and games.

As this particular 4th grader looked around at the disappointment of his team, the Red Team, he stood up, patted his teammates on the back, and confidently said, “It’s ok guys, it’s not about winning, maybe we’ll get the next one. Great job Blue Team, great job!” As this young boy began to clap for the other team, his teammates faces began to change and they followed suit, cheering on their friends for their win.

That moment was about more than just a relay race. In that moment, I had the opportunity to see that the values we talk about with our kids really do mean something to them, and that each student can be a leader among their peers. As the new Kid’s Club Director, I am  looking forward to a new year with these students – a year where I can watch them all grow as people, where they can realize their potential to be leaders and help others. After a conclusion like that to the school year, I couldn’t agree more with the words spoken by so many kids during that last week of Kid’s Club, “September can’t come soon enough!”

Follow Casa on Facebook for photos of the Kid’s Club Olympics. In the meantime see more photos from the end of year celebrations.