While I know there has been a lot of possibilities and what ifs on here.... the main thing that I hope everyone keeps in mind is that consolidation is not the opportunity to build an athletic power. Athletics are but one of the great aspects of being apart of an instituion of learning. What we must remember is that with the building of new schools with new logos and new mascots with new meanings and a new pride about them.... we are definitely enhancing our students horizons in the realm of academics with new areas of studies and new curriculum.
I believe if done correctly as well..... and Wise County in general does things the right way...... they can showcase their county by building FOR THE KIDS the great facilities that they deserve to have to bring out the best and bring out the pride in their new schools. If they go in mourning about the death of what is past, they are going to miss out on the new opportunities that lie on the horizons of their future. People who look at the past and dwell in it are HOPELESS....People who look at the past and take the wisdom from it and then push to the future to make it greater..... they will be WISE....literally and figuratively . So... if we are to be as the namesake of our county, WISE, we need to look at the opportunity now being afforded to us and make the most of it.... not for us or the people who went before us....but for our children and those future Wise Countians who are to come after us....our children. Our children will remember the great heritage we have had in the past if we teach them about it in the right ways and with it....use it for their goals of prosperity in the future.
IMO, in the realm of athletics and academics,........ it would be amazing if we took all of the trophies and awards and banners (LPD, Region D and VHSL designated) and such won by all of our great Wise County schools.....and in one section or wing of each newly built school.... it would be great to have a trophy case with all of the previous schools trophies together.... COMBINED. And only put trophies in the case that indicate that the school was a LPD, Region D or State academic or athletic award winner or runnerup. No Wise County trophies or anything of the sort that has a PV or Appy or JJK or Pound or Coe or St Paul name or inference on it. In this way, when the students look at this wing of the excellence that their two schools has brought forth in the past and how it looks now together, they should be motivated to want to add to this era of excellence and bring forth a greater pride .....not in just being from the area where they are from..... but just in being from Wise County. To be competitive and want to defeat your opponent is a great attribute to have in your personality.....but remember... at the end of the day... we are all brothers and in some sense.... we are all family. If we forget to realize that, then that makes the worst battle in the history of this nation and its coming together seem all the more the miracle. For in the American Civil War, you had state against state....brother against brother... especially in Virginia. Even after the war... the Union extended its hand to the Confederates for help .... they didnt continue to kick them when they were down. Did they have their disagreements, yes. It took a few years for the South to acclimate into the unified new nation that was now the United States. The only thing that kept the Confederacy back was the people who thought that their "heritage" would be destroyed with the destruction of the Confederacy. Little did these "backward" and "unlearned" people know (to put it nicely) that in building a new nation... you do not have to lose the heritage and pride of the area from which you come. I believe this most certainly applies to people from Wise County. Many feel that by consolidation, they are losing their heritage and the pride of their small town..... when really... I believe that some of you....not all....of you are afraid of change.... and afraid that if you were someone back in the day... that with consolidation .... future people are not going to remember you or the heritage of your family at the school or some other weird crazy mindset running through your crazy brains. The truth of the matter is.... no one really remembers anyones names.......only great teams. I mean.... really....unless they did something pretty spectacular or amazing in the past... no one will remember you. Do I remember the Stallion from Appalachia? Yes I do... not for the great records or stats he had in school.... I could care less about that. But the fact that he was not only a great athlete but a great person who lost his life in the hopes that another person may live. THIS....is the heritage of which I want my kids to be apart of. To know that my kids are going to be apart of a heritage such as this.... this makes me proud of the school that my kids will be apart of in the future. To know that we could have athletes who think more of others than themselves........ gives me hope that this future school of Wise County is going to have some of the most amazing athletic and academic squads in Southwest Virginia.....because the best teams have those student-athletes who do not care as much about themselves....but care about others....those others being their teammates. THIS is the new WISE COUNTY I want to be apart of...... and I hope that one day..... everyone else will feel the same way too.
Originally Posted by hoard
Bookmarks