What can we learn from the Olympics as they are broadcast and make headlines across the world?  First, we can examine the lives of those athletes who are participating and conclude that dedication and committment to victory, to being the best, must take priority over everything else.  That, after all, is how those few athletes from each country got there.  They have dedicated themselves to their sport.  Second, we can know that each of those Olympic participants has made great sacrifice in order to gain a place on the Olympic team.  They have probably given up other "hobbies" to train instead.  They have skipped family events to compete.  They have spent money of equipment and supplies to prepare for their events.  Third, we can know that these athletes are persistent.  Certainly, each one competing has not only tasted the sweetness of victory but also the bitterness of defeat.  However, these guys got back up at tried again.  They were persistent, even after loss.  In the education world we can apply the dedication and committment to our profession and to our students.  We already understand the meaning of sacrifice, when it comes to being an Olympic-style educator.  But perhaps, the most important is this idea of persistence.  We should never give up trying to reach a student or trying to improve our game.  We must contiunally pursue excellence through persistence, not just for ourselves but for our students as well.