Three High School Students Who Struck Gold in Paris

��鶹

News

Three High School Students Who Struck Gold in Paris

Hezly Rivera, Quincy Wilson and Alex Shackell are headed back to high school as gold medalists after performances in the Paris Summer Olympics.

By Trinity Alicia

August 14, 2024

Education news and commentary, delivered right to your inbox.

Most Popular

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter

How did high schoolers Hezly Rivera, Quincy Wilson and Alex Shackell spend their summer break? Winning gold for Team USA, of course.

In just a few weeks, these Olympians will be back to learning English and math with a proud story to tell.

Rivera, the youngest athlete on Team USA, a gold medal for the women’s gymnastics team finals, alongside decorated gymnasts Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee.

“This was such an amazing experience and just being with the team to support them meant the world to me,” Rivera after receiving her gold medal in Paris. “It was so surreal.”

The 16-year-old New Jersey native did not compete as part of gymnastics team’s final competition, however. Rivera failed to qualify for the final based on her performance in two individual events — the bars and beam. Her overall score still helped the U.S. women’s gymnastics team advance and clinch the gold.

absolutely loving the commentators talking about how important hezly rivera is to this team and how just because she isn’t competing, doesn’t mean she contributed any less to wherever they stand at the end of the night 🥹

— aman (@royaltothebay)

Rivera attends Inspire Academy, an online school that allows her the flexibility to balance a rigorous training schedule.

Like Rivera, Wilson in the first leg of the U.S. men’s 4×400-meter relay, helping the team to qualify for the final and making him the youngest male track and field athlete from the United States to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Although Wilson, who is a rising junior at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, admitted he “didn’t run his best,” he praised his teammates including Rai Jefferson, Christopher Bailey and Vernon Norwood, who helped support him during the run for gold. And he returned the favor as he them on from the stands of the Stade de France as they secured an Olympic-record victory.

“I did what people said was the impossible…” Wilson on Instagram. “I’m the youngest US male track athlete to receive a gold medal at the Olympics!”

The track and field sensation attention on social media when he his thoughts about the upcoming school year following his performance in Paris. He took to X and said, “Dang, I really got school in 2 and a half weeks 💔 #Gold #OlympicGamesParis.”

Dang, I really got school in 2 and a half weeks💔

— Quincy “Q” Wilson (@QuincyWilson5)

Jokes in reply immediately came flying in from fans after Wilson made this post.

“When the teacher asks for answers, raise your medal instead of your hand,” one fan said.

“Them ‘what did yall do over summer break’ conversations gonna hit different lmao,” another added.

Like her high school Team USA counterparts, Shackell’s preliminary round participation helped earn her and her teammates Olympic medals. She a silver medal in the 4×200 freestyle relay with teammates including Katie Ledecky, Paige Madden and fellow high schooler Claire Weinstein. She also secured gold in the 4×100 medley relay with Regan Smith, Lilly King and Gretchen Walsh.

The 17-year-old, who will begin her senior year at Carmel High School this week, has made history as Carmel’s first female student to win an Olympic medal in swimming.

Many know her as an Olympian. We know her as a student. Welcome back to our Senior Greyhound ! We are so proud of you. Go Hounds!

— Tim Phares (@Tim4Phares)

“I was just happy to be there and happy to go as fast as I can, and get the girls the next night a good spot,” Shackell . “I’ve been wanting a gold medal or like any medal since I was little, like 8 years old and dreaming of that moment. To be able to hold it is crazy, I’ve been looking at it everyday.”

Shackell is also the second female high school student from Indiana to win an Olympic medal in swimming.

For Rivera, Wilson and Shackell, many fans anticipate their return to the Olympics podium in 2028, when the U.S. will host the Summer Games in Los Angeles, California. They’ve just got to finish their homework first.

Learn more about the other high school students we rooted for on Team USA this summer here.

Did you use this article in your work?

We’d love to hear how The 74’s reporting is helping educators, researchers, and policymakers.

Republish This Article Learn More

Trinity Alicia is a digital producer at The 74.

[email protected]

Republish This Article

We want our stories to be shared as widely as possible — for free.

Please view The 74's republishing terms.


                <h2>Three High School Students Who Struck Gold in Paris</h2>

                <h2>Hezly Rivera, Quincy Wilson and Alex Shackell are headed back to high school as gold medalists after performances in the Paris Summer Olympics.</h2>

                <p class="sans">By <a rel="author" href="/contributor/trinity-alicia/">Trinity Alicia</a></p>

                <img src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/gold-medal-olympics-2024-usa-high-school-students.jpg">

                <p>This story first appeared at <a href="/">The 74</a>, a nonprofit news site covering education. <a href="/about/newsletters/?utm_source=republish-button&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=republish">Sign up for free newsletters from The 74</a> to get more like this in your inbox.</p>
                
<p>How did high schoolers Hezly Rivera, Quincy Wilson and Alex Shackell spend their summer break? Winning gold for Team USA, of course.</p>



<p>In just a few weeks, these Olympians will be back to learning English and math with a proud story to tell.</p>



<aside class="inline_story shortcode simple"><a href="/article/managing-grades-gold-meet-the-high-schoolers-on-the-team-usa-olympics-roster/"><figure style="background-image: url(/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/young-olympians-usa-2024-olympic-student-athletes.jpg);"></figure><div><span class="sans related_tag">Related</span><h4 class="sans">Meet America's High Schoolers Vying for Olympic Gold</h4></div></a></aside>



<p>Rivera, the youngest athlete on Team USA,  a gold medal for the women’s gymnastics team finals, alongside decorated gymnasts Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee.</p>



<aside class="inline_story shortcode simple"><a href="/article/adams-simone-biles-demonstrated-that-if-youre-in-an-untenable-situation-you-have-to-get-out-the-same-goes-for-public-school-families/"><figure style="background-image: url(/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GettyImages-1330516428.jpg);"></figure><div><span class="sans related_tag">Related</span><h4 class="sans">What Simone Biles Can Teach Public School Families</h4></div></a></aside>







<p>“This was such an amazing experience and just being with the team to support them meant the world to me,” Rivera  after receiving her gold medal in Paris. “It was so surreal.”</p>



<p>The 16-year-old New Jersey native did not compete as part of gymnastics team’s final competition, however. Rivera failed to qualify for the final based on her performance in two individual events — the bars and beam. Her overall score still helped the U.S. women’s gymnastics team advance and clinch the gold.</p>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">absolutely loving the commentators talking about how important hezly rivera is to this team and how just because she isn’t competing, doesn’t mean she contributed any less to wherever they stand at the end of the night 🥹</p>
<p>— aman (@royaltothebay) </p>
</blockquote>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rivera attends Inspire Academy, an online school that allows her the flexibility to balance a rigorous training schedule.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Like Rivera, Wilson </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the first leg of the U.S. men’s 4×400-meter relay, helping the team to qualify for the final and making him the youngest male track and field athlete from the United States to win a gold medal at the Olympics.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although Wilson, who is a rising junior at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, admitted he “didn’t run his best,” he praised his teammates including Rai Jefferson, Christopher Bailey and Vernon Norwood, who helped support him during the run for gold. And he returned the favor as he </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> them on from the stands of the Stade de France as they secured an Olympic-record victory. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I did what people said was the impossible…” Wilson </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on Instagram. “I’m the youngest US male track athlete to receive a gold medal at the Olympics!” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The track and field sensation  attention on social media when he  his thoughts about the upcoming school year following his performance in Paris. He took to X </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">and said, “Dang, I really got school in 2 and a half weeks 💔 #Gold #OlympicGamesParis.”</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dang, I really got school in 2 and a half weeks💔   </p>
<p>— Quincy “Q” Wilson (@QuincyWilson5) </p>
</blockquote>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jokes in reply immediately came flying in from fans after Wilson made this post.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When the teacher asks for answers, raise your medal instead of your hand,” one fan said.  </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Them ‘what did yall do over summer break’ conversations gonna hit different lmao,” another added.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Like her high school Team USA counterparts, Shackell’s preliminary round participation helped earn her and her teammates Olympic medals. She </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> a silver medal in the 4×200 freestyle relay with teammates including Katie Ledecky, Paige Madden and fellow high schooler Claire Weinstein. She also secured gold in the 4×100 medley relay with Regan Smith, Lilly King and Gretchen Walsh.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 17-year-old, who will begin her senior year at Carmel High School this week, has made history as Carmel’s first female student to win an Olympic medal</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">in swimming.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Many know her as an  Olympian. We know her as a student. Welcome back to our   Senior Greyhound ! We are so proud of you. Go Hounds! </p>
<p>— Tim Phares (@Tim4Phares) </p>
</blockquote>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was just happy to be there and happy to go as fast as I can, and get the girls the next night a good spot,” Shackell </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. “I’ve been wanting a gold medal or like any medal since I was little, like 8 years old and dreaming of that moment. To be able to hold it is crazy, I’ve been looking at it everyday.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shackell is also the second female high school student from Indiana to win an Olympic medal in swimming.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For Rivera, Wilson and Shackell, many fans anticipate their return to the Olympics podium in 2028, when the U.S. will host the Summer Games in Los Angeles, California. They’ve just got to finish their homework first. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Learn more about the other high school students we rooted for on Team USA this summer </span><a href="/article/managing-grades-gold-meet-the-high-schoolers-on-the-team-usa-olympics-roster/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p>

��鶹

Contact Us

Follow Us

��鶹