Nick Itkin spoke at Canyon Elementary Charter School.
Photo: LESLY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY/CTN
Medalist Nick Itkin let the elementary students examine his Olympic medal.
Photo: LESLY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY/CTN
For at least the last 30 years, an Olympian medalist has spoken to students at Canyon Charter Elementary during the school’s annual Olympic Days.
This time the Olympian was unique. Nick Itkin, an American right-handed fencer, won a bronze medal in the individual men’s foil at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and during the 2020 Toyoko Olympics he was on the men’s foil team, which received a bronze medal. And . . .he is still training because he’s wants to take a gold at the 2028 L.A. Olympics.
After his second bronze medal he said, “Obviously the dream is gold, but I’m super happy to walk away with some kind of jewelry hardware. All the hard work I had put in – it was worth it.” He defeated Japan’s Kazuki Iimura 15-12 to take third.
Canyon’s Booster Club President Alisa Rodman organized the event, which also serves as a fundraiser for the school. She reached out to Itkin on Instagram and “he responded almost immediately.”
Itkin graduated from Palisades Charter High School in 2017, before attending Notre Dame University where he won multiple individual and team championships.
Ranked as the #2 foil fencer in the world, Itkin, 25, is the first U.S. man and third U.S. fencer over all to win individual medals at back-to-back World Championships after winning a silver medal at the 2023 World Fencing Championships.
He told students that he started fencing when he was seven years old. Itkin told them whatever sport they were passionate about, to keep doing it and to work hard.
There were so many questions from the audience to Itkin, that they had to be cut short, so the kids could start the running portion of the event. Before he left the campus, Itkin let the kids hold his medal, and he autographed several of the Olympic Days shirt worn by the kids. The blue shirts had the lettering, “En gard pret? Allez” which translates to “Ready, set, go.”
Canyon’s Olympic Days start with the “lighting” of the torch.
Photo: LESLY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY/CTN
The opening ceremony at Canyon Elementary’s Annual Olympics Day on November 15, included flags from different nations. Seventeen flags, one for each classroom, were carried, as students participated in the parade of athletes. The fifth-grade classes always have the honor of carrying the United States flag and the Olympic flag.
After the speaker, the students showed their spirit by running laps around the track. This is one of the biggest fundraisers for the school. Children ask for pledges to sponsor them from family, friends, neighbors and relatives.
“We raised $60,000 this year,” Rodman said. “Our goal is to have 100 percent participation – and two classes did. Every one of the 17 classes had participation.
Rodman said that the money is used for “physical education, science, art, drama, music and class instructional aids and other activities that LAUSD does not provide.”
Canyon Principal Nicole Sheard said, “This is such a great day, and kids are excited and there are smiles all day.
“It sends the message that hard work, dedication and perseverance pay off,” Sheard said, and noted that it was a fun way to remind students that “Keeping bodies active and healthy is important.”
Some students are so dedicated that they start training two weeks before the event with “cricket runs.” Sheard explained that kids showed up before school and practice running on the track.
Everyone had questions for Olympic medalist Nick Itkin. Photo: LESLY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY/CTN