A Busy Week Ahead!

This is a great time of year for all fans of high school athletics. Football, volleyball, and cross-country are wrapping up; meanwhile basketball is starting to get geared up for practice. Athens has a big week of sports on hand. The week includes; girl’s volleyball Regionals in New Berlin on Thursday and Saturday, State football playoffs Friday or Saturday, and cross-country Sectionals on Saturday morning in Elmwood. Saturday could be a big travel day for many Warrior fans. Having never experienced IHSA football playoff excitement before, the football community should be pumped-up this coming Saturday. I have seen the community in action when supporting the ACF, and this will hopefully be no different. The volleyball team, fresh off a good run at the QND tourney, should make some noise in New Berlin. Tiffany Draughn will lead the cross-country team into Sectionals. Tiffany is a 3 time state-qualifier and she is looking for a fourth. Our students have represented Athens High School well over the past 3 months of competition. The Golf, soccer, swimming, football, volleyball, and cross-country teams, as well as, the cheerleaders have performed outstanding and carried themselves in a positive manner. So, this week is a time to show your continued support for our Warriors and Lady Warriors! With continued hard work, your support and a little good fortune, we could be having this same conversation next week.

Time to Brag a Little

Athens' Turn to Brag A Little!

The Athens Warrior football team did what many outside of the 213 felt was nearly impossible - they knocked off the PORTA Blue jays on Friday night, at PORTA no less. The weather was terrible, yet many many Warrior fans made the trip and stood or sat in the rain for hours. Those who went will not soon forget the double-pass on 4th and 3 that continued a defining season for our football program. A gutsy call and perfect execution by 3 team leaders led to a memorable moment for everyone. After the game, it was obvious that the Blue jays were stunned and disappointed. On our sideline there was jubilation and celebration. As numerous fans lined the streets and welcomed the team back to the complex, it was obvious that this was a gigantic win for the program and the community that has supported them so well. As the season nears its end, the boys have one job before them - win! They must win this Friday to secure an opportunity to play in the playoffs. Many years ago, I was an assistant for a head coach who would always tell the team...."you play nine Friday nights in order to play on Saturday afternoons." With one more Friday to go, the team could use a huge crowd to push them to a victory on Senior Night this Friday.

Goggles and all!

Today, I was able to participate in a chemistry lab during 8th hour. I was able to jump into a group, goggles and all, and work as a team to discover the amount of water found in various brands of popcorn. As I worked with the students, I was quickly reminded why I enjoy my job so much. The three members of my group were awesome. They were able to work the experiments safely, have fun doing so and in the process learn something. The lab was well designed except for the fact that the smell of popcorn made it very tempting to eat the data. As I watched the rest of the class, I remembered why I loved my science classes back in the late ‘80’s. Labs provide a break from the note-taking and seat-time that are fundamental parts of school. Labs allow for movement and interaction that are both intellectual and fun. There was a challenge in performing the experiments properly whether or not the outcome was the expected one. This afternoon, the process was completed without incident. I would like to thank Mrs. Warren for the invitation this afternoon. I would also like to say “thank you” to the soccer player, the neighbor and the babysitter for allowing me to be part of their group and ending my day on a very positive note.

School Spirit

I just want to take a moment to talk about school spirit. The last 4 days prove that school spirit is alive and well at AHS. The students have taken the challenge of competing against each other for points and a spirit stick. More than anything, it is about pride and having fun. Our students took that attitude and ran with it. From the dress-up days to the daily competitions, the kids really did a great job. As always, there are those who were more invlolved than others, but many participated in one fasion or another. The dodgeball tournament and the male-cheerleader competition will stick in my memory as two very funny moments from this year's homecoming activities. Kudos to the Student Council and Ms. Rene Blank for a great homecoming week so far. Tonight is the bonfire, located behind the school next to the library. On Friday, we will have our annual obstacle course. This year we will use the sports complex for the venue. And do not forget the FOOTBALL GAME on Friday. The South Fulton Rebels come to town for a big game with PLAYOFF implications......wow! - 4 years of foootball and we are talking about making a run at the playoffs. Top that off with a volleyball team that is on a very nice roll and you can see why school spirit is alive this fall at AHS.