Today we commemorate an important day in our nation’s history. The year was 2015, and the world was locked in a battle between two great superpowers: Mr. Salem and Mrs. Kelly. At stake? The young minds of America. The battlefield? The teacher model of ridiculous math games from Investigations and the CCLEs. Every time the two teachers would demonstrate a game for the class, Mr. Salem would lose. After months and months of unsuccessful skirmishes and humiliating defeats at the hands of his foe, Mr. Salem was desperate for a victory. Students across 5th grade had grown accustomed to loss after loss during games like Skunk, Yahtzee, Multiplication War and lots of other games that don’t really come up in my life anymore. Mrs. Kelly was rubbing it in his face and students as far away as Mrs. Palmiter’s and Ms. Nicka’s rooms were talking about it.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Mr. Salem’s dignity was at stake. Finally, one fateful day in April, Mr. Salem put it all on the line. The game was Fraction Dice, and Mr. Salem proposed that this time, the winner would earn a donut from the loser. Mrs. Kelly smugly agreed, boosted by her yearlong undefeated record.
The room was as silent as it’s supposed to be when you use the quiet signal. Everyone watched the two well-matched opponents battle it out on the doc cam. Mrs. Kelly rolled the dice and according to the game rules that at this time I don’t remember, she had an enviable score. Then, Mr. Salem rolled his dice the first time. And it was good. And he rolled his dice a second time and it was great. And he rolled his dice a third time and it was VICTORY.
The euphoria and pandemonium were deafening. But the sweet, sweet taste of victory was nothing compared to the saccharine embrace from the Victory Donut the next day.
On April 27 of each year, we remember that dreams do come true as we celebrate Victory Donut Day.
Cheers. ❤
Christopher Salem Ozuna, PhD 