We guess we all fall into the trap of realizing why students go to school. We all focus on athletic achievements, but sometimes lose focus on what's really important.
In college, especially, we call them student-athletes, but we all know the majority of football and basketball recruits go to a certain school to enhance their athletic achievements instead of worrying about academics. They all have dreams of making it on the next level and making millions. Most don't.
If you read most newspapers you never read about academics on the front page, but can see something about sports. We're probably as guilty as anybody because we know what sells newspapers.
Several weeks ago week had a front page story about Flomaton High School and Flomaton Elementary School making and 'A' on the state report card for the first time. We put it on the front page because we felt it was important.
In this week's edition we have a front page story about FHS student Alex Glidewell making a 35 on his ACT test, which also ranks him as the highest in Flomaton High School history. We did so because we felt it was important.
Flomaton High School ranks among the top when it comes to ACT scores. We don't celebrate it with banners, plaques and rings, but it's important.
The majority of high school athletes never play on the next level; the ones who do rarely play beyond the college level. It's the educational foundation they receive that will carry them through life.
Athletics is important. It teaches discipline and can unite a school and a community, but when that final clock hits 0:00 it's what those students learned in the classroom that will make them successful citizens.
We all love a winner and we have a lot of winners walking the halls of our schools who have never swung a bat, shot a basketball or dressed out in pads.
We salute Glidewell on his record-setting ACT score, but we also know he got the tools to become the school's top ACT student because of the academic guidance he received at Flomaton schools.
