the little engine that could. and did.

And a little prideful horn-tooting ensues...

Here in the little burg of Richmond, Virginia some 2nd and 3rd graders today took on all comers in a regional "Mind Games^©" (General knowledge, logic, construction) competition. Some comers were Goliaths, some were Davids. Some were deeper-pocketed and better socially situated, with demographics and genetics "on their side". Some were less able financially, less powerful in terms of zip code, but equal to the task and ferocious in their competition. All competed with gusto, brains and stamina. But only one was left standing. Ladies and germs, I present the Richmond Public Schools' 2004 Mind Games Champions, Grades 2 & 3:

Fisher Elementary School...



They won. They beat odds, and their own imaginings of what's possible. They learned that winners are born, then unmade--but only if you let it travel that far.

Way to go Fisher.

Next Thursday, 4th & 5th Grades. Boooyah!

[update] Yes, our company, Alchemy, coaches these kids. In our eyes, it's a natural adjunct to, and a way to keep fresh, what we do for businesses: help people achieve their statue-sense; become what they think they deserve to be: "A bigger, better me." We may seem different in our approach and our language, but consider... Architecture, marketing, knowledge, leading are all just tactics, too often regarded and practiced as disconnected. That's silly. They share one overarching goal: moving people forward and up, whether they're 9 or 99.