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Goshen interim superintendent urges students to 'make a good effort' ahead of spirit week
Summary
Interim superintendent Tom Bongiovi told students next week is spirit week, urged them to check daily schedules and pointed to the homecoming game 'next Friday the tenth,' using a 1968 Olympic marathon anecdote to underscore perseverance.
Tom Bongiovi, interim superintendent for GOSHEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, told students in a campus announcement that next week is spirit week for all sports and urged them to check each day’s schedule. He said the week will culminate with the homecoming game "next Friday the tenth."
Bongiovi framed the message around the district’s theme ('Lou Bon Jovi's top 10 rules') and the prior week’s focus on being prepared, pressing students to treat preparation and steady effort as life skills rather than one-week tasks. "Be prepared," he asked, then elaborated that making an honest effort matters more than always winning.
To illustrate perseverance, Bongiovi told the story of John Stephen Akwari, a marathon runner at the 1968 Mexico Olympics who finished injured and received a standing ovation. Quoting Akwari, Bongiovi said, "My country didn't send me 5,000 miles to start the race. They sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race." He used the anecdote to connect athletic effort to broader life lessons for students.
Bongiovi closed the announcement with a brief sign-off and the school rallying cry, "Go Gladiators."
