On September 25, I had the pleasure of taking the third grade to see Billy Mills in Rapid City. Mr. Mills grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation and won the gold medal in 1964 at the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. For inspiration, I will watch the black and white YouTube video of Billy Mills running the famous race and listen to the announcer yell, “Look at Mills!”.
Billy Mills was orphaned at a young age but persevered through rough times. While growing up, he dealt with oppression and segregation. Billy attended Haskell Institute, a residential Indian high school in Lawrence, Kansas. Through the love of running, Mills was able to attend the University of Kansas and obtain collegiate All-American titles.
While attending US Marine Officer Candidate School, he pushed for the opportunity to try out for the Olympic team. During this time, Billy was also diagnosed with hypoglycemia and borderline diabetes. With proper management of his health, he was able to beat the odds in Tokyo, as well as his own personal record by 46 seconds.
The program was based on the book Wings of an Eagle. The presentation included Billy Mills telling his life story and dreams. The author of the book, Donna Janell Bowman, explained the process of writing the book and meeting with Billy Mills to confirm the contents. The artist, S.D. Nelson was involved with the presentation to describe the process of development in the artwork.
Over 15,000 copies of the book Wings of an Eagle, the 2025 Young Readers One Book of South Dakota, were delivered to third graders throughout South Dakota. The South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center, along with various sponsors and volunteers, provides this literary opportunity to students.
Billy Mills is an example of strength and perseverance. A powerful message was provided to third graders to focus on and accomplish their dreams. As a fan of Billy Mills, I was delighted to participate as well.