Do you know what it feels like to lose?  Everyone has met this fate at one time or another.  My heart actually bled for a student this past week.  For the last two years I've had the honor of working with one class comprised of all 8th grade girls. We work on public speaking and leadership.  This year, there were six students who had signed up for the speech contest.  First, second and third place winners would be given the honor of speaking to the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade classes during the award assembly.  Everything was in place and going fine when two girls announced they were pulling out of the competion leaving only four contestants.  That would mean everyone would also know who came in last play.  It took courge for all of these girls to compete in this competiton, but it took even more courage for the one student who came in last.

Losing does hurt, but the strength of this youth was amazing to me as she held her head up high and had to face the embarrasment of being last.