Last Friday on September 13, the students of the FAA came together for the annual tri-county soccer game hosted at our school. 

“I personally really enjoy getting to watch the soccer game every year,” said Ben Brown, junior. “I honestly feel like our students do an amazing job, playing the game every single year.”

Our students played against Dunlap Blue and tied with a final score of 0-0. The defense held strong by not allowing a single goal throughout the entire match.

Sophia Hendrickson (11) loves attending games to show her support for the team.

“I love it when our school hosts these events, and we get to come out and watch our students play,” said Hendrickson. “I think that it is really cool to watch how much support we fellow students give to our players.” 

The goal of the FAA classroom is to support academic, behavioral self-regulation, social skills and daily living skills in authentic settings that match contexts in which students will be expected to use those skills during and after high school to support generalization.

Maize South FAA teacher Denise Hogan-Fink, who sponsors the group, loves the responsibility  that the game teaches and how it t shows her students important life skills.

“I have enjoyed working in the FAA classroom type for  18 years and think students gain a lot from the experiences provided both in class and outside of class in clubs like Friendship Club and Tri-County Sports.  This gives them a sense of school pride and ownership in their school community,” said Hogan-Fink. “I have sponsored Tri-County Basketball since I started teaching and soccer a few years later.  I often find that the sports or classroom pep team will be something that motivates the students and keeps them focused to their personal and educational goals plus keeps them in touch with those around them.”

Over 200 students and parents of players attended the FAA basketball game, and several classrooms visited throughout the hour and headed down to the gym to cheer on the players when their schedule and class allowed the free time.

“We love the school support we receive and the students feel important and popular when students recognize them and call them by name,” said Hogan-Fink. “This can make huge differences in their self-esteem and their desire to be a part of other things around the school and community.”