Tales from the Thunderdome

 

The Bighorn Attitude

 

            During the Indian summer of 1977 an ancient hardwood wizard named old Yepper da Kepper roamed the empty corridors of the hardwood wizard palace, hidden high in the Sierras of the Nevada mountain range. He stopped at a window and watched the cottonwood drift through the pine trees like snow flakes. Future events started to take shape in his mind and he realized that by the year 1990 the Truckee Meadows would need a new middle school concept, a unique philosophy that would pave the way for other schools to follow. The idea included student empowerment, interdisciplinary teaming, modular block and rotating schedules; a teacher training school on the cutting edge of technology, a program attractive to all students, and finally a school within a school.

            Old Yepper decided the middle school would be located at the foot of the mighty Peavine Mountain. The architectural design would be a function of the educational plan: this included wings, large team teaching rooms, spacious dinning commons where banners could be hung, and a high school size gymnasium.

            As the wizard sat on his steps he watched the sunset over a magical lake named Tahoe, the name of the lake given by the Native Americans meaning big water. As he drifted into a deep sleep, he started to dream. A woven tapestry of turquoise, gold, and white materialized in his minds eye. The tapestry was symbolic of the schools colors. As the colors faded, a new image appeared, one of a great leader, a man that would be the principal of the new middle school in Reno, Nevada. The figurehead would envision things not yet actualized. He would communicate and share his vision with the teachers through symbols, allowing the vision to become a mission and the mission to become a commitment. The principal would be purposed, highly motivated, and articulate. He would pull human resources rather than push them, transforming the school into an institution. This principal would be known as the master of the wheel house. As night fell the chill of the Washoe Zephyr brought old Yepper back into the conscious world. As he opened his eyes he was met by two rings of concentric circles, turquoise and gold, the eyes staring right through him penetrating him with a feeling of confidence and loyalty. As the image took form it was the wizard's stronghold --- the mighty bighorn sheep Thunder. Old Yepper told Thunder he has to find this leader and explain the educational plan. Thunder was psyched-up about the challenge but was a little nervous due to the importance of the mission. As Thunder began his journey, powerful thunderheads appeared, the temperature mysteriously dropped to below freezing. The rain began to pelt his massive horns and then simply turned to ice once it hit the ground. Thunder picked a line and started down the steep Sierras in a hurry. The bighorn found himself within the wings of the storm, the wind began to howl undoing his confidence. The fog only allowed him to see 5 feet in front of him and he began to doubt himself. Suddenly more voices screamed "you will fail", the crash of lightning exploded several pine trees and the thunder vibrated through his ears. Thunder reached deep inside and searched for help, his own voice said remember Yepper the Kepper. Yepper the Kepper was a story an elf told him when he was a young bighorn. This is how the hardwood wizard seemed to be so young and vibrant even though no one really knew his true age. Yepper the Kepper meant keeper of youth through a positive attitude. The elf also told thunder that true competitors never fear failure. Thunder focused on the task at hand told himself he was sure footed, and remembered his keen sense of direction, the power of his own words blocked out the negativity of the furious storm. Thunder visualized talking to the new leader and being part of something larger than himself. He was about to make a positive impact on kids by completing his mission. Thunder broke through the storm and stood proud on a buff above Donner lake as he took a moment to catch his breath a fisherman tumbled to the earth behind him, the man saw the size of thunder's body and began to scoot backwards as fast as he could. Thunder told the man you have nothing to fear you are the chosen one. The man was astonished that the sheep could talk and replied "where did you get those turquoise eyes?" Thunder laughed and explained his mission and told the man of his ordeal through the storm, and that the man was chosen as to be the master of the wheel house in our world, known as the principal. As a leader his charges were many. The new master of the wheel house and the bighorn said their goodbyes.

The principal was hired and realized he would have to create cultural cement that would bond the school. The master knew the key to success was a positive attitude. He strategically planned to disseminate this information through the P.E. dept. since these teachers would see most of the students. First he named the glorious gym the Thunderdome after thunder's victorious journey through storm of all storms. Then he crowned his P.E. teachers the king and queen of Thunderdome. The king and queen went to work diligently listing all the elements of a positive attitude. believing in yourself, helping others , maintaining a positive work ethic, school esteem, teamwork, honesty, sacrifice, leadership, being a positive role model, never putting others down, accepting constructive criticism, learning from defeat, maintaining high personal standards, seeking challenges, and having the courage to be different. The king and queen needed a slogan for these qualities. The Bighorn Attitude was chosen. The Bighorn Attitude seemed to permeate through out the school just as the master of the wheelhouse had envisioned. One day the king and queen were talking about all the great student attitudes that have given Billinghurst a climate that is safe for all students, and providing an energy you can feel the when you walk into the school. They decided one girl and one boy from each year should receive the bighorn attitude award, not to exclude all the other tremendous attitudes in the bighorn country, but to celebrate and highlight the power of the Bighorn Attitude. So my friends you as you can see Thunderdome is really not a place but a compelling state of mind and the Bighorn Attitude is a way of life because you are your attitude. As the master of the wheelhouse says once you have the bighorn attitude never lose it.

 

 

 

 

1995 may.