SLINGER, Wis. — Elementary school students across Washington County continue celebrating Olympic speed skater Jordan Stolz, showing unwavering support even after he earned silver instead of gold in the 1500-meter race.
Two schools with connections to "Jordan the Jet" hosted watch parties and created tributes for the local Olympic hero who grew up in their community.
At Allenton Elementary School, the 4H Club made signs for Stolz, which he autographed before leaving Wisconsin for Milan, Italy.
"My favorite part is — he lives in our town!" Rodee Schmidt said. "That's amazing!"
Charlotte Christenson, an Allenton student, expressed her excitement about following Stolz's Olympic journey.
Watch: Washington County kids cheer on Olympic speed skater Jordan Stolz despite silver finish
"It makes me excited when he just gets first place sometimes," Christenson said.
Addison Elementary School, where Stolz attended as a student, hosted their second watch party for his 1500-meter race. Despite the silver medal finish, students remained supportive of their hometown hero.
"I'm really happy with him," Kendall Kieckhafer said. "He tried his best! I hope to meet him one day."
The young fans found inspiration in Stolz's Olympic performance, drawing life lessons from his athletic journey.
"Anybody can make it if you try hard enough," Mayla Emmer said.
Avi Meyer, another Addison student, reflected on the importance of perseverance.
"You shouldn't stop believing when stuff is hard," Meyer said.
Following the race, the Slinger Songbirds choir from Stolz's alma mater performed the national anthem in his honor.
Teachers at the watch parties expressed emotion and predicted Stolz will aim to break the 1500-meter record at the next Olympics.
Stolz's father, Dirk, has been receiving videos of the children celebrating his son, calling the community support "super awesome to see."
The students plan to continue following Stolz's Olympic journey, with his final race being the mass start on Saturday at 8 a.m.
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