Josiah Impresses at Westchester’s Battle of the Books Tournament
Josiah is setting an incredible example for his peers. You may have read about Josiah recently as we’ve shared about his achievements in our Technology Hub, how he attends Dobbs Ferry High School thanks to his mom advocating on his behalf, or how he can solve a Rubik’s Cube in 15 seconds (yes, 15 seconds). In addition to all of that, he recently led the Dobbs Ferry Team to the semifinals of Westchester’s Battle of the Books Tournament!
Josiah, elected team Captain by his Dobbs Ferry teammates, helped them win the first day of the tournament by providing 8 of his team’s 11 correct responses. His confidence and calm were there for all to see. The second day of the tournament brought more pressure, but Josiah led his peers to another victory, providing 15 of Dobbs Ferry’s 17 correct responses! It was an amazing display of a young man who is composed, humble, and wise in his decisions to choose his answers carefully. He seems to enjoy this process and experience no matter how high the pressure is turned up. And on Day 3, it was no surprise that Josiah led his team to victory again, providing 12 of Dobbs Ferry’s 16 correct responses. Unfortunately, Dobbs Ferry was not able to progress past the semifinal round. That may have been because Josiah was attending another great opportunity, the Freedom 60 trip.
Josiah’s literacy mentor Ms. H describes him as “a beautiful human being – the kid that makes you proud. He is smart, studies hard, works hard, takes all his tasks seriously and does his best to give a hand to others when needed. He is gentle with his peers, intelligent and has social charms that accommodate everyone around him in a peaceful and gracious manner.”
Even though he did his best, but had less help from the team than anticipated, he never dwelled on judgement but tried to encourage his team members to better organize for the next battle. He was proud to lift them up and enjoy the experience.
In a recent letter to our President & CEO, Josiah’s mother had this to say: “The patience from The Children’s Village team working with not just Josiah, but also providing me the skills (through workshops, home visits, and support) to help find effective ways of communication to assist my family better when Josiah comes home has truly been life changing.”
We cannot wait to see what this amazing young man does next!
