The Race isn't Over Yet

The Race isn't Over Yet

"When is the end of the Iditarod?"

For my Kindergarten students, the concept of time is abstract so I get this questionfrequently. While a large portion of the world may think the race is over onWednesday, March 12 with Lance Mackey or Jeff King crossing the finish line inNome, for a number of classrooms around the globe, the race will continue until thelast finisher carries the red lantern to Nome.

In my classroom we have been watching the mushers at ‘the back of the pack" just asdiligently as we watch the front-runners. While my students hope their musher"wins" the coveted Red Lantern Award, I hope they are learning a valuable lessonabout perseverance and dedication. While these young students may not understandthe meanings of those words, they certainly understand that the final mushers aren'tracing to win, they are here to achieve a goal.

My students have learned that a lot of preparation goes into getting to the start line ofthe Iditarod and even more work goes into completing the race, whether you are firstor last. They "ooohhh" and "ahhh" at the length of the trail, the long days and coldtemperatures and the pictures of the mountain passes and frozen rivers. Theyunderstand that this race is about hard work.

While my students may never become mushers or race the Iditarod, I hope somedaywhen they are faced with a challenge, they'll remember the Iditarod and keep ongoing! I hope they'll find some passion that lights the flame in their hearts and spursthem into the kind of hard work they've witnessed in the Iditarod.