Go for the Gold

The stirring melody of the Olympic anthem welcomed students and faculty-staff members to the opening of a new school year during the All-School Opening Assembly on August 21 in the Beck Student Activities Center.

Embracing the Olympic spirit of excellence, Headmaster Arch McIntosh reminded students that one of Latin’s core values is the “commitment to excellence,” which is defined as “the commitment to do one’s best and to strive continually to improve.” McIntosh challenged the students, especially the seniors, to serve as leaders. “We need in this country as never before good, sound leadership,” McIntosh stated, including student leaders at Latin. “I challenge each one of us to commit to excellence this year.”

The call for individual and collective excellence was echoed by guest speaker David Marsh, whose very recent Olympic experiences in Beijing illustrated the athletes’ commitment to excellence. Marsh, who is CEO of Swim MAC and one of the most successful American college and Olympic swimming coaches, quoted Aristotle in defining excellence as a habit, not an act. He recalled that Michael Phelps, who is the most successful Olympian in modern times, faced difficulties in his young life that he used to inspire his commitment. He recalled that Phelps skipped after an arduous mile-long swim, which Marsh says reflected Phelps’ ability to feel joy in his life. Marsh described his favorite type of excellence as “living excellence,” by feeling joy and valuing one’s faith, family and friends.

Marsh also shared his impressions of China, which included visits to the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. He noted favorably the hope of young Chinese, as well as the nation’s sense of history and its amazing engineering feats, as shown in the Olympic venues. Yet Marsh also felt the absence of freedom. “Cherish what we have in the United States,” he advised the students. Americans “are open to learn everything you can about the truth.”