Lessons in athletic excellence and dedication, cultural customs and empathy converged at Summit
Academy Akron Elementary School last week. Schoolwide, students learned about the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan. Each class studied a participant country and cheered on its athletes.
In teacher Jodi Crossley and intervention specialist Lillian Peterson’s classroom, second graders studied China. Each time an Olympian from China earned a medal, students displayed a paper medal at the classroom entrance to celebrate the achievement. The competitions, which students watched briefly every day after lunch, inspired the little ones to think big.
“My favorite Olympic sport is figure skating. I would really like to be the top figure skater in the whole entire world,” said student Adalee.
Students also had a chance to be immersed in a February 17 Lunar New Year celebration. Dressed for the occasion — many in red to express happiness — the children crafted 
dragons and lanterns out of construction paper. They learned about Chinese symbolism related to each: dragons chasing out the old as they welcome the new and lanterns, in remembrance of others.
“They’re realizing empathy for other cultures and learning that not everyone does things the same. We’re celebrating differences,” Crossley said. “It would be boring if we were all the same.”
“It’s a fun way to learn about the culture and celebrate it,” added Peterson, spooning out Chinese eggs rolls, rice, noodles and orange slices onto decorative paper plates for each student.
Soon after the meals were set, the students gathered around Crossley in a semicircle. She explained how meals are served family-style in
China and gave the students a demonstration on how to use chopsticks. The children returned to their seats and meals as they practiced their newly learned skill with smiles and success.
The homage to the Olympics will carry on next month when Summit Academy Akron Elementary School hosts Olympics Math Family Night on March 12. Each class will showcase a math activity that aligns with a sport, such as determining the degree of an angle in correlation to that of a ski slope. Kindergarteners will use shapes to create a figure 
skating pattern.
“We hope that our families will get to see the extent of their children’s work through the entire course of the Olympics and continue conversations about the games at home,” said Instructional Coach Lindsey Durbin, adding that the lessons have been a first introduction to the Olympic games for many students.