Olympic Skater Jordan Stolz Inspires 300 at Home School

When Olympic speed skater Jordan Stolz walked into Addison Elementary School's gymnasium, he wasn't just a three-time medalist. He was the quiet fourth grader who grew up to represent America on the world's biggest stage.

Nearly 300 students, parents, and teachers gathered to hear from the 21-year-old hometown hero who captured two gold medals and one silver at the recent Winter Olympics. The students had watched his races together during special viewing parties, jumping up and down as Stolz dominated the competition.

"I saw the video where you guys were all enjoying watching me race and jumping up and down," Stolz told the crowd. "That was pretty funny."

The young champion fielded questions about everything from his training routine to whether his racing suit is uncomfortable. His honest answer got laughs from the crowd.

"It can be. Yeah. If it's sweaty for sure," he admitted. And no, he doesn't wear it around town.

Stolz explained that while he owns about 80 gold medals from competitions worldwide, his two Olympic golds mean the most. Olympic success only comes once every four years, and athletes have to race well enough to even qualify for the podium.

"Luckily I was able to get three medals, two golds and a silver, and I'm super happy with that and look forward to another four years," he said.

The skater shared that he started racing at age six or seven. That detail brought cheers from the elementary students who could imagine themselves following a similar path.

Stolz reflected on how much he's grown since his first Olympics at age 17. He wasn't nearly as strong then, but four years of dedicated training transformed him into a world champion.

Why This Inspires

Former teacher Bill Jacklin remembers Stolz as just another quiet fourth grader. Watching him return as an Olympic champion showed everyone in that gym what persistence and dedication can achieve.

"You never would think it when he was in school," Jacklin said. "It's great for the community, great for everybody."

Parents praised Stolz not just for his athletic achievements but for his character. After every race, he gave everything he had, then accepted his medals with remarkable humility.

"He was just a great representative for the United States of America," said parent Jacquelyn Haas.

First-grader Liam summed up the day with perfect simplicity: "I liked how he won and I liked his medals and I liked his racing suit and his glasses."

True to form, Stolz stayed after the event to offer fist bumps, photos, and autographs to every student, parent, and teacher who wanted one.