Ferrisburgh Central School Visit

Have you ever had a moment that touched your heart in a way that everything around you was suddenly put into perspective? I met some of my biggest fans yesterday at Ferriburgh Central School in Vermont. These kids were so awesome, I can’t even put it into words. Spending time with them revealed a whole new side of my athletic career… a side that I’d like to get more involved with in the future.

Ferrisburgh Central brought their 5th and 6th graders to our World Championship race in Lake Placid. They met my parents in the crowd and quickly became the best cheering squad I’ve ever had! I tried to gather my things and drive down to sign their posters after the race but I didn’t make it in time.

Not long after, I received my first email filled with compliments, questions and excitement about skeleton. I contacted the school so I could send some signed photos since I missed them at the race. More and more emails flooded my inbox and I realized that sending pictures wasn’t going to be enough… I really wanted to meet these kids. My visit to the school was planned to be a surprise but that was spoiled before I made it to the front door! The kids recognized me instantly in the parking lot! I was completely stunned! I was swarmed by a group of 6 graders that were about to set up a game of street hockey for P.E. I was still in shock that they knew who I was that I couldn’t seem to answer all the questions being fired my way fast enough…

The assembly couldn’t have gone any better… I brought a video that I made of my skeleton journey and included pictures of the kids at the race that I got from their principal. After the quick movie, I talked for a few minutes, showed them all of my equipment and we even dressed up a teacher in my speed suit and helmet! They loved it! The rest was just answering their questions and signing every piece of clothing they owned (SORRY PARENTS!) haha

I was so impressed with some of their questions and how well behaved the kids were… I don’t remember my class being that attentive and respectful when I was 11 years old! A boy named Jacob who wants to be a sports writer when he grows up interviewed me. He already writes a sports column in their weekly school newsletter. After a few questions he ran out of ideas of what to ask so I started telling him how I got involved with Skeleton. He was so cute when he stopped me mid-sentence and finished my story. He had done his research! Jacob knew more about me than I knew about myself! Haha I was really flattered how much they had studied my website and knew my background. They referred to me as their ‘hero’ and ‘idol’, but what they don’t know is that they’ve inspired me twice as much! I’m hoping to visit them again when I go back to Lake Placid next year in the Fall.

(This is Felicia - She was the first Ferrisburgh student to email me after the race)

Skeleton has brought me to places across the world that I would have never experienced otherwise… now it’s brought me close to so many amazing kids and I hope I can remain a positive influence in their lives for a long time!

(This was a newspaper clipping in the Addison Independent newspaper of my visit... the photographer, Trent Campbell, was a fellow Denison graduate!)