March 2023
Dear Friend of Golden View Classical Academy,
We strive to be abnormal at Golden View, not for the sake of being odd or unpleasant, but because what passes for the “typical” high school experience is often so crass and so lame that it ought not be normalized. This is not meant as an indictment of students or of teachers, but it is an indictment of something more widespread in the cultural air our high schoolers breathe.
Take athletics, which in the “typical” high school experience can be a way of determining unofficial student royalty. It can be a way for some parents to unleash unhealthy language, and even insults at…children. That’s all nasty, and we all, I think, know it. But take athletics from an abnormal view, stripped of that displeasing stench, and view them from the perspective of what good they can do for the souls of young people. I don’t mean a way of life promoting fitness (which is key), but the habits of character they can cultivate, if done well.
What does that look like? Let me tell you about Jake, one of our varsity boys basketball captains. To be honest, I could just as easily tell you about his friends on the boys and girls basketball teams, but I risk over-doing it. So Jake shows up on Senior Night ready to rock and roll, and before the game, walks with his mother to the center of the court as part of a pregame celebration, recognizes her and her commitment to him, and then proceeds to shake the hands of all his senior teammates with whom he will soon no longer play. We hear the announcer read Jake’s previously written remarks aloud, about how he loves his teammates, and how much they mean to him as friends. His words are thoughtful and lack any kind of boasting. He recognizes and congratulates his coach, who has poured himself into the program that Jake has led. Then he scores something like 150 points, most of which were dunks, and then helps the Sentinels win in the last seconds of the game (this last stat is actually true) against a team in a more competitive division.
And the fans go wild, including the many grammar school students who don’t know Jake, and don’t know that he shows up every day at school with a smile, escorting his younger sister to her class. And so do all of the students who don’t go to Golden View any more but come back for the games.
So what does athletics do for an abnormal school? It provides a chance for good young people to develop themselves in the crucible of fierce competition and to cultivate a healthy but not dominating school culture. It places front and center young men and women who are celebrated more for who they are than how they perform.
Here’s to you, Jake, and to all the basketball players who have played with you for the past several years, boys and girls, to all the players who will follow you when you graduate here in a few months, and to all the younger students who are wondering what a good role model looks like. Thank you, too, for helping us be abnormal, in the very best way.
Sincerely,
Dr. Garrow
Principal, Golden View Classical Academy
