EZCNN 易英网

How this school sent more athletes to the Winter Olympics than some countries  Febraury 10, 2026

 

Hello, everybody. I'm Ryan Young in for Coy Wire, who's on his way to Italy to cover the Winter Olympics. I'm so excited to be back, and of course, it's so cool that Coy gets to go over there for the Olympics.

 

This is the best that we have for you, 10 minutes of news, so let's get to it.

 

We begin on the Iberian Peninsula, where Spain and Portugal have been battered by a series of intense storms in recent weeks. Severe flooding from the storms has forced thousands of evacuations, closed key roads and railways, and destroyed millions of euros worth of crops.

 

Our Ben Hunt has more on how the communities in the region are dealing with the devastation.

 

A series of storms is drenching parts of Spain and Portugal. Storm Marta is the latest weather system to dump heavy rain across the already waterlogged Iberian Peninsula.

 

waterlogged [ˈwɒtɚˌlɑɡd] adj. (土地等）水浸的，水涝的

 

Some places have been inundated with water, like this town in Spain's Andalusia region. Floods gushing through its narrow streets as emergency crews battle to reinforce barricades.

 

gush [ɡʌʃ] vi. 涌出; 喷出

 

But many houses have already been engulfed by the rushing waters, and some residents say they fear even more water could be accumulating in the nearby hills.

 

Knowing the mountains too, I can imagine what's underneath them, how the aquifers are doing and all that. And that water has to come out at some point.

 

aquifer [ˈækwǝfɚ] n. 含水土层，地下蓄水层

 

In southern Spain, more than 11,000 people have been forced to leave their homes because of recent storms, and nearly 170 roads across the country have been shut down.

 

The ground is so wet, there are fears of landslides in some areas. Many people say they're just hoping for a dry spell to take stock of the damage.

 

spell [spɛl] n. 一段时间

take stock 评估; 仔细考虑;作出判断

 

We hope this will end soon and pass, and that we will see what is there, because there is nothing else to do but wait, wait and wait.

 

And the more hours that pass, the more desperate we become.

 

Nearby Portugal has also been hit hard by back-to-back storms. More than 26,000 rescue workers have been deployed to help manage the floods.

 

back-to-back 连续的; 一个接一个

 

And three municipalities in flood-affected areas have postponed a presidential runoff vote by a week because of the extreme weather.

 

municipality [mjuˌnɪsǝˈpælǝtɪ] n. 自治市

runoff [ˈrʌnˌɔf] n. 决赛

 

Though the vote continued in other parts of the country, many voters armed with umbrellas managed to cast their vote in the very soggy conditions. Ben Hunt, CNN.

 

soggy [ˈsɑɡɪ] adj. 湿透的

 

10-second trivia.

 

Which famous Colorado mountain inspired the song, America the Beautiful?

 

Is it Longs Peak, Pikes Peak, Mount Sneffels, or Maroon Bells?

 

If you said Pikes Peak, high five. Located just west of Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak is one of the front range of the Rocky Mountains and inspired Catherine Lee Bates to write Purple Mountain. Majesties after seeing a sunset with purplish hue.

 

I'm feeling a bit chilly becausethis next school is too cool. Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy is a public middle and high school supporting students' education and their winter Olympic dreams.

 

chilly [ˈtʃɪlɪ] adj.（天气、房间或人体）寒冷的，凉飕飕的

 

This CNN affiliate, KUSA, has more.

 

If it looks like a school and sounds like a school. So instead of traditional hall passes, we utilize skis, snowboards, and hockey sticks.

 

hall pass 大厅通行证（允许学生在上课时离开教室的正式许可）

 

Then it is a real school, right? We are probably one of the most unique public schools in the country.

 

Matt Steniger is a teacher at Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy. Yes, a very real, very serious public middle and high school in Minturn.

 

We're completely dedicated to serving winter sports athletes in our community here in Eagle County.

 

We get a snowboard in the morning, come to school in the evening, kind of blends athletics and academics together so we can all chase our dreams of going to the Olympics.

 

In this school, Olympian alumni line the hallways.

 

Let's switch 19 andy bro. And some school days include Olympic watch parties. We are watching the Olympics men's snowboard Big Air qualification.

 

qualification [ˌkwɑlǝfǝˈkеʃǝn] n. 賦予（或取得）資格; （资格赛)

 

11-year-old Benny Diaz wants to be a pro snowboarder. This week, he's watching his classmate, VSSA senior Ollie Martin, live that dream in Italy.

 

Ollie's like definitely one of the best in the world, so it's pretty cool that like I get to see him at Copper like sometimes, but it's pretty cool.

 

It's like they can do it, I can do it, right?

 

It's amazing to see a kid I've essentially grown up with be on the world's biggest stage and compete at such a high level.

 

I counted and with our five alumni and three current athletes, if VSSA were our own country, we'd have as many athletes as Argentina. Meg Gustafson hopes to be next.

 

I'm hoping to qualify for the Paralympics this year. Since I'm visually impaired, I ski with my brother in front of me as my guide. So it's incredible to be a brother-sister duo doing that.

 

She'll find out this month if the siblings get their own trip to Italy. And a whole school cheering for them back home.

 

To get to know them as people and then see them achieving incredible things is very powerful.

 

I think the Olympics is potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that they get to experience everything and live it to the fullest.

 

live it to the fullest「活出精彩」或「尽情享受生活」

 

You've probably heard of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, but what about Saint Olaf's Ice Chapel?

 

chapel [ˈtʃæpḷ] n.（学校、医院、王宫等的）附属礼拜堂

 

It may look like Elsa's handiwork, but it's actually the result of some innovative students at the other Notre Dame, the university in Indiana.

 

They were inspired by an igloo and decided to put their architecture and engineering skills to work, transforming a pile of snow and ice into a stunning place of worship.

 

igloo [ˈɪɡlu] n. （尤指北美北部因纽特人用坚厚雪块盖的）圆顶小屋

 

In just six days, their frozen feet didn't go unnoticed, spurring plenty of smiles and selfies from all over campus. More than 2,000 students braved the cold for an outdoor Mass at the chapel, complete with a choir. Gotta have music, of course.

 

Mass [mæs] n. 弥撒

choir [kwaɪr] n. （教堂的）唱诗班；圣乐团

 

Now that is a positively cool example of a community coming together.

 

All right, gang, today is February 10th, and you know what that means. We spend the 10th of every month highlighting the 10 out of 10 moments that you sent us to share the achievements, big wins, or just cool opportunities happening in your life.

 

Look, we want to know. And this month, you did not disappoint. Here's Coy with the Roll Call.

 

Our first 10 out of 10moment comes from Traverse City, Michigan. Superstar students in the National Junior Honor Society at T. Capps Montessori teamed up with the Father Fred Foundation, which supports families facing homelessness and food insecurity. Together, they raised funds, collected supplies, and helped meet real needs right there in their own community. Well done.

 

Next up, students from the National Junior Honor Society at Weld Central Middle School in Keenesburg, Colorado sent us this photo from their volunteer project, making blankets for kids at Colorado Children's Hospital. Keep shining and inspiring, y'all.

 

And a 10 out of 10 congrats to Indianola High School in Indianola, Iowa, the boys' cross-country team winning the 4A state championship with a 117-0 record. The first time the school has won the chip in 53 years. Miss Lester sent us this photo, and I just have to share this one quote from her email.

 

The difference between try and triumph is a little oomph. I like it.

 

oomph [ʊmf] n. 劲道; 【美】活力，精力

 

Finally, just in time for the Winter Olympics, Aubrey Protexter at Jamestown Middle School in Jamestown, North Dakota, sending us this photo from her first ice show after beginning figure skating four years ago.

 

Aubrey says, quote, I'm not here to play. I'm here to kick butt. Do your thing, Aubrey.

 

We will be back with our next 10 out of 10 moments from you on March 10th. So send them our way. Send your videos, your photos, your stories via email @cnn10 @cnn.com. All right, superstars.

 

Let's get you some shout-outs. This first one is going to Miss Logan at Hazen Union Middle School and High School in Hartwick, Vermont. And another shout-out is going to Mr. Shillbaum at Kingwood Township School in Frenchtown, New Jersey.

 

And thank you for this really cool Lego CNN 10. This is definitely going on the wall of friends. Tomorrow is Your Word Wednesday.

 

Submit your vocabulary word to our latest post on Instagram @cnn10 and we'll choose a winner to work into tomorrow's show. Have a good one, everybody. We'll see you right back here tomorrow.

 

I'm Ryan Young filling in for Coy Wire. This is CNN 10.