Grandpa is proud of his granddaughter — and the rich diversity of her Clovis school

That we are currently in the midst of numerous crises is beyond question. Indeed, along with the COVID pandemic and global warming, we are experiencing a state of acrimony in our nation over political and cultural issues without parallel in our lifetimes.

This being the case, nothing gives me more pleasure than to be able to escape the surrounding darkness for an hour or two and find some sunlight, some moments of respite that revives in me the hope that all is not lost.

Such an interlude occurred recently when my wife and I attended a sports awards ceremony at an elementary school in Clovis where our granddaughter Julia is a sixth-grader.

It began at 9 a.m. on a warm, sunny morning, an outside event that featured student athletes from the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grades, along with a gathering of anxious parents and grandparents, most of them with cameras at hand to capture the big moment. As the sun began to rise, so did my spirits.

Two positive thoughts permeated my mind as I contemplated the unfolding drama. First, the mix of nationalities and races that filled the stage as one grade after another stepped forward.

There were Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Muslims, along with white students, receiving applause for their efforts and, in some cases, special awards for excellence. We’re so happy that our granddaughter, who is a Korean-American, attends a school with such diversity.

This school is in a middle-class neighborhood in Clovis, much like the one I attended in North Hollywood back in the early 1950s. But my school was 100% white; no Mexicans, no Blacks, and certainly no Muslims. The few Roman Catholics were Irish, as most Catholics attended a parochial school across town.The only non-Christians were Jewish, a sizable number in my community.

That our pre-teens today are growing up with other kids of such varied ethnicity, sharing classroom facilities and participating in sports together, is a good omen for the future of our nation. As they enter the work force and become responsible citizens, the blurring “color line” might well become nearly invisible.

The second bright light to rouse my attention was girls sports. There were awards for track and volleyball at this particular ceremony, the only athletic activity solely dominated by the boys being football, which was fine with me.

When I was at Colfax Elementary school in my hometown, the boys played baseball and kickball, while the girls watched and cheered when they weren’t occupied with such non-team sports as dodge ball and four square, or playing hop-scotch.

In Clovis, there are leagues comprised of all the elementary schools with girls’ teams broken down by grades from fourth to sixth. Girls’ sports are just as competitive as those played by the boys, their followers just as loyal, the athletes just as competitive.

The morning was so enjoyable, my wife and I hated to see it end. Like so many other parents and grandparents we found the whole ceremony exciting.

By the way, Julia, received an award.