Oral History Project Students Learn From ‘Amazing’ 5-Time Olympian, Gold Medalist
Oral History Project Students Learn From ‘Amazing’ 5-Time Olympian, Gold Medalist
On the second day of Service Learning this year, the students participating in the Oral History project had the opportunity to speak with Olga Connolly, a five-time Olympian and gold medalist in the discus throw.
Oh, and she also happens to be the mother of Sage Hill’s Wellness Coordinator, Merja Connolly-Freund.
On Wednesday, November 15, juniors Jerry Fu and Luca White-Matthews, and seniors Lucas Levine and Nico Collins spent a couple of hours interviewing Olga Connolly and hearing her fascinating life story.
“She has extraordinary connections to major historical events in her life as well as incredible insight and wisdom,” said Catherine Ball, one of the faculty advisors for the Oral History project, which is new to Service Learning this year. “She is an amazing lady, and it was an enriching experience for all involved.”
Connolly was born in Prague in 1932 and earned a gold medal in discus throw at the age 24 in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Her father worked closely with the Czechoslovakian government, and she told of her experience during both the Nazi and Soviet occupations of Czechoslovakia. The students were able to ask her questions that connected her personal experience to modern world history.
Connolly married fellow Olympian and American Harold Connolly, whom she met at the 1956 Olympics, and their romance marriage made international news because it was during the Cold War. She went on to have four children while continuing her Olympic career and competing in an additional four Olympics for the United States team.
She also gave the students a compelling account of the Israeli hostage crisis that occurred during her last Olympics in 1972 in Munich.
Connolly-Freund said it made her cry to hear her mom talk about the hostage crisis and the hopelessness she felt in the Olympic village.
“My mom has always been humble. She has never profited financially from her athletic success or her hard work and courageous efforts for peace,” she said. “To see her honored and tell her stories to our thoughtful Sage Hill students was very emotional for me. I feel very lucky that all the pieces came together, and I am proud of her life story so far and that I am a part of it.”
Sage Hill School
Sage Hill School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other School administered programs.