Students at Bayfield Intermediate School wrapped up a unique, schoolwide learning experience in February with a surprise visit from former U.S. Olympian Lanny Barnes, who helped close out the school’s Winter Olympics unit with an inspiring message about perseverance and hard work.
The collaborative unit brought together BIS Explore classes—including art, music, STEM, library, and physical education—for several weeks of activities inspired by the spirit of the Winter Games. Students were divided into teams representing 16 countries and earned medals throughout the unit for participation, teamwork, and engagement. Students and staff members also received a Bayfield Intermediate School 2026 WInter Olympic sticker to commemorate the event.
But the biggest surprise came during the closing ceremony, when Barnes appeared as the keynote speaker.
Barnes, a biathlete who represented the United States in three Olympic Games—2006 in Turin, Italy; 2010 in Vancouver, Canada; and 2014 in Sochi, Russia—shared stories about competing on the world stage and representing her country.
“Being able to represent your country, the United States of America, is the most amazing honor in the world,” Barnes told students, describing the experience of walking behind the American flag into an Olympic stadium filled with tens of thousands of cheering fans chanting “USA! USA!”
Barnes also explained the sport of biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, and answered student questions about Olympic competition and the pressure of qualifying.
“Every four years you get an opportunity to try something once, so there is a lot of pressure on that,” she said.
Throughout her presentation, Barnes emphasized three key ideas that helped guide her athletic career: work hard, give everything you have, and never give up.
“It doesn’t matter what you want to do,” she told the students. “If you do those things, you will be able to achieve that goal.”
Barnes has strong ties to Southwest Colorado. She grew up in nearby Durango and even played youth soccer in the area before eventually becoming a world-class biathlete. Her twin sister, Tracy Barnes, also competed in the Olympics. Barnes shared the remarkable story of how her sister once gave up her own Olympic spot after Lanny became ill during the qualifying process, allowing her to compete in Tracy's place.
Barnes' visit capped off a month-long collaborative project led by BIS physical education teacher Jennifer Blackwell and the school’s Explore team.
The unit began with an Opening Ceremony on February 9 and continued with activities across multiple classes. In physical education, students competed in Winter Olympics-themed events as their country teams. Art classes created hats inspired by national flags for the ceremonies, while music students learned songs from countries around the world. In the library, students researched the nations they represented and created informational displays, and STEM classes worked with PE to track and analyze competition data while designing and racing model bobsleds.
Blackwell said the unit was a true team effort among the Explore teachers and staff. Jo Lee led the activities in the STEM arena, Johnna Jacobson guided students through their Art endeavors, Amber Apalategui oversaw the Library’s contributions, and Katie Rud spearheaded the effort in Music. The songs associated with this unit were even showcased at the fifth-grade concert, according to Blackwell.
“It would not have been such a success without all of you,” she told colleagues after the event.
The closing ceremony echoed the pageantry of the real Olympics, with students gathering by their country teams and marching into the gym before hearing Barnes speak. The celebration ended on an energetic note as Barnes led students in a spirited chant—one side of the gym shouting “Bayfield!” and the other responding with “USA!”
For BIS students, the Winter Olympics unit offered more than just games. It brought together creativity, teamwork, research, and physical activity—while giving students the chance to hear firsthand what it takes to chase big dreams on the world stage.
