by Mike Davis, Ph.D.,
Head of School

Our Colorado Academy Community has experienced another whirlwind year.  The 2015-16 year was another strong one for our students and school. The various end-of-year events and ceremonies showcased the many talents of our students. Our seniors graduated with distinction, and one can check our matriculation list for the Class of 2016 and to the fine colleges and universities our students will attend next fall.  We are so proud of all their accomplishments, as well as the great tone they set this year as student leaders.

 

As we head off into summer, I know what I am going to do first: re-read David Remnick’s outstanding biography King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero. Like so many others across the globe, I was saddened to learn of the passing of Ali.  

 

As a child growing up in the 1970s, I vividly recall watching Ali boxing on Saturday nights on ABC television.  Although he was past his prime, he was larger than life at that point and had long past moved from being simply a sports figure.  I loved the interactions with Howard Cosell.  I found his poetry enthralling. I didn’t know quite know what to do with the put downs of others like Joe Frazier and George Foreman, but it was hard not to root for Ali even when he behaved badly.  

 

As I got older, I grew to better appreciate his important voice in the Civil Rights era and the courage he displayed in standing by his convictions.  Like many other celebrities, he could have used political strings to get a deferment, but he took a stand.  The grandson of a slave growing up in highly segregated Louisville, Kentucky, he recognized that he could use his celebrity to bring attention to issues of injustice. He did it all in a style that was all his own.  To be sure he was divisive, but he also unified humanity.  When he held the torch at the Atlanta Olympics, despite his hands shaking with the Parkinson’s disease that eventually led to his death, he showed that he was still “THE GREATEST.”

 

I encourage all of our students to pick up some books and read this summer. This is a great one to start with, but there are also many others. Here’s a list compiled by our faculty for the senior class.  (Parents might really enjoy this list as well.) Aside from reading, I also hope that our students can truly enjoy summer. We live in an age in which children tend to be over scheduled. I encourage parents to get comfortable with some down time.  I’ve written in the past about the importance of boredom in one’s life.  To be sure, there is a place for adventure and organized activities, but don’t forget how valuable it is for a child or young adult to have time on their hands.  Sure, it is easy to “waste" time, but there can be magic and learning in simply hanging out and using one’s imagination.

 

I am signing off on my blog for the summer, but I will be back in touch in early August about the logistics of the start of the school year.  I hope you have a great and relaxing summer.