The American Re-EDucation Association   
 

Scotty's Great Day
Mark Freado

On a pleasant and sunny November day I was at the Pressley Ridge White Oak program in West Virginia to provide some supervisor training.  I was lucky enough to be there to be a spectator for the third annual soap box derby.  What a great event!

For several weeks each of the seven groups on campus worked on designing their special car (basic wooden frames are recycled) with chicken wire, laundry baskets, paper machete and paint.  Through practice and time trials they tinkered, re-tooled, greased and re-macheted (rain casualty) until they were ready for race day.  Every group worked together to create the look of their car, several sporting matching uniforms and themes.  Drivers were chosen and pit crews were pulled together with the remaining group members making up the wildly cheering masses.

The double elimination event began just after 1:00.  Some races were close, literally won by a couple inches; some were ‘eat my dust’ affairs.  The double elimination format gives everyone more of a chance to recover from an untimely mechanical problem and still have a chance to win.  As the races proceeded the competition and the sportsmanship remained high. 

The Comanche group are the defending champions.  Scotty, the driver for Team Comanche, has experienced a great deal of hardship and hurt in his young life.  The evidence of that is apparent in short order.  Scotty drove down the track with the intense look of a serious competitor.  After each race, Scotty asked his crew and the surrounding support, “Did I win?”  Yes, Scotty, you won.  He jogged back up the track to cheers and high-fives and was ready to race again.  He had the most runs and the most wins, taking the trophy back to Comanche for a repeat championship and the rumblings of a White Oak racing dynasty. 

Immediately following the championship race the groups and the cars gathered in the dining hall for the awards ceremony.  Trophy’s were awarded for design and several other categories in addition to the first three placing awards.  As each group received it’s trophy they posed for a picture with it, their car and the whole smiling group.  The cars will stay in the dining hall until it’s time to strip them down and be ready to start next year’s event.  The trophy’s will be displayed on each group’s table in the dining hall until Thanksgiving dinner.  When the first place trophy was awarded and the group picture taken, Scotty raised the trophy above his head and lead the group back to their table to the cheers and applause of the whole White Oak community.

This was truly a total community event.  Weeks of preparation culminate in a 90 minute event that some of these kids will remember for years to come, if not longer.  Well planned, well run, spirited, exciting and joyous; it’s a really nice piece of exactly what we want to be about.  If you find yourself in the neighborhood this time next year, it is worth stopping in.   I’m considering trying to talk my way in to more training there for the next event.