Failure Friday

Emma's family runs as naturally as they breathe. Her sister Bella is the standout on the high school track team, her mother has been pounding the pavement for years, and her father trains for marathons. When Emma learns she has earned a spot in her school's running club, she feels both thrilled and uneasy. It soon becomes clear that she is not the fastest or most graceful member of her household. Quitting seems like her only way out, until a teacher brings in a guest speaker to talk to the class about failure.

The speaker's message catches Emma off guard. Failure, she learns, is not something to dread but something worth celebrating. As her classmates share their own stumbles, Emma begins to see setbacks as a step on the path to success. She starts to wonder whether her running shoes belong in the closet after all.