Kennedy announced November students of the month. Front, from left, Matthew Whitaker, Sofia Davino, Alyssa Polverari, and Tyler Hubeny. Back, asst. principal Susanne Vitcavage, Jack Barnum, Brynn Godbout, Ava Hur, Madeleine Silano, Taylor Hall, and principal Richard Terino. Missing is Kajetan Naworol.

Kennedy announced November students of the month. Teachers nominated these students based on their academic performance, exemplary citizenship, and/or participation in extracurricular activities.

Sixth grade students of the month are Sofia Davino, Tyler Hubeny, Alyssa “Iyss” Polverari, and Matt Whitaker.

Sofia is the sixth grade Unified Arts student of the month. A hardworking young lady who always looks for ways to improve her work, she is helpful around the classroom. Sofia works aptly with others and always offers appropriate advice and suggestions. She sings in the school chorus, plays town basketball and softball, and participates in her church’s community activities. Away from school, Sofia enjoys running, swimming, dancing, cycling, drawing, cooking, and baking.

Tyler is a responsible student who puts extra effort into his work. He is willing to help everyone and is always prepared for class. Well-liked and respected by both his teachers and peers, Tyler impresses his team. He is a member of the JFK cross country team and the town’s soccer league. Tyler helps with household chores and with the washing of boats at the shipyard where his grandfather works. Outside school he enjoys reading, constructing works with Legos, boating, and learning about boating safety with his grandfather and cousin.

Alyssa is a pleasure to have on her team. A classroom leader, she is always prepared and ready to participate in class activities. Alyssa is a conscientious student who is ever ready to go out of her way to help others. She is a member of the church swing choir, the cross country team, and the Lego League. She volunteers as an apple bagger through her church at the Apple Harvest Festival. Outside school Alyssa enjoys playing with her brother Josh, golf, Harry Potter, art, and sushi.

Matt is a polite and respectful student who comes to school each day with a positive attitude and a readiness to work. Daily he puts forth his best efforts and prides himself on being successful. Matt is on the soccer team, and he plays trumpet in the sixth grade band. He also plays travel soccer and swims on the YMCA swim team. Away from school he likes to ride his bike and spend time with his family and friends.

Seventh grade students of the month are Jack Barnum, Taylor Hall, and Ava (Seungeun) Hur.

Jack is a role model student. A hard worker, he is outgoing and pleasant, someone who gets along well with both staff and students. An honor roll student, he is a member of the soccer team, the chorus, and Peer Advocates. He plays town football, baseball, soccer, and travel AAU basketball. Jack volunteers as a tour guide for incoming sixth grade students, and in his free time enjoys being outside and riding his bike.

Taylor is a hardworking, conscientious student who challenges herself daily. Mature and consistent, she is well-organized and helpful to others. An honor roll student, she plays violin in the seventh grade orchestra. Taylor plays FSA Premier soccer, and during the summer she helps her grandparents. Her interests include baking and running.

Ava is a positive, encouraging, and friendly student who continually strives to complete her work with the highest level of quality. An honor roll student, she is a member of Con Brio, the homework club, and the seventh grade orchestra where she plays violin. At her church, Ava sings in the choir and travels with fellow members to nursing homes to perform for their residents. She enjoys crafting, drawing, and taking piano lessons.

Eighth grade students of the month are Brynn Godbout, Kajetan Naworol, and Madeleine Silano.

Brynn demonstrates a strong dedication to her studies in all academic areas while her positive disposition radiates to her peers. An honor roll student, she is a member of the chorus. Brynn plays town volleyball and softball, helps family members with various chores, and enjoys reading and being with her friends.

Kajetan is an engaged, hardworking student who is active in class discussions and serves as a role model for other to follow. He is an honor roll student and a member of Con Brio, the NJHS, and the grade eight orchestra where he plays the violin. Kajetan plays town soccer, tennis, and baseball, and is an alter server at his church. He enjoys sports in his free time.

Maddie is an asset to her team. Kind and respectful to all, she is a conscientious student who actively participates in class. She also exhibits leadership skills and school spirit through her participation in JFK soccer. An honor roll student, she is a member of the builders club, the drama club, the NJHS, Relay for Life, the stage band, the band where she plays French horn, and the soccer team of which she is captain. Maddie plays premier soccer at FSA and volunteers at a Cheshire school where she assists with filing and bulletin board setup. She also has an interest in art and drawing.

Kennedy’s girls varsity and junior varsity teams both went 10-0 after ending their season against cross-town rival DePaolo on Friday, Oct. 28. This was Kennedy’s last home game, as well as their Dig Pink game. The volleyball team raised $2,714.50 this year for the SideOut Foundation, which supports breast cancer awareness, shattering the $985 record from three years ago. Eighth graders on the team included Victoria Zajda (captain), Alexah Zaczynski, Makena Dlugos, Greta Panke, Kaley Smith, Kayli Garcia, Nicole Greco, Isabella Rivera, and the two managers, Madison Block and Kikey Cristman.

Southington firefighter Jasen Zarcone teaches a class of sixth graders about heat transfer, above, during a seminar at one of Southington’s middle schools during the first two weeks of December. The Southington Fire Department partnered with the local middle schools to provide fire safety lessons as part of the curriculum. Firefighters used pictures and videos from various fires, along with some classroom experiments to demonstrate the need for fire safety.

Student practice a dance number during a recent rehearsal. The middle school production of “Beauty and the Beast” opens on March 30.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

It’s a tale as old as time. Dancing tea pots and candlesticks, a young girl in a provincial town, and a prince trapped in the body of a beast. The music and enchantment of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast will be brought to life next weekend in the Kennedy middle school auditorium.

Performances will begin at 7 p.m. on March 30 and 31, and April 1, 6, and 7.

The cast includes over 100 students from both Kennedy (JFK) and DePaolo (JAD) middle schools along with a 50-member stage crew. Students from both schools in all three grades have been rehearsing several times each week since December to prepare the show.

JAD vice principal Chris Palmieri, who is also serving as the director, brought the whole cast together to watch the new Beauty and the Beast film.

“Beauty and the Beast” includes all of your favorites, including Gaston, Lumiere, and Cogsworth, above, played by Dylan Camden.

“I rented two private theaters and took the cast and crew to see the movie on opening night,” he said. “Although this was a Broadway play, most of the students are only familiar with the cartoon movie.  I thought this might help give them an actor’s perspective on playing their parts.”

With roughly 150 students from both schools involved in the production, there is something for everyone to do. Building sets, singing in the chorus, dancing to one of the many musical numbers, and handling the tech components, to name a few.

Stage managers Tim Gagne and Sarah Sisto, both JAD eighth graders, have been at every rehearsal making sure things run smoothly. They follow along with scripts in hand and provide feedback to the actors. They also manage the stage crew. With opening night just a week away, the cast is finalizing lines, the crew is setting up the lights, and costumes are being shipped to Southington from New Jersey.

The leads include JFK eighth graders Olivia Lanteri (Belle), Jordan Cyr (Beast), Matthew Luponio (Gaston), Dan Kalvaitis (Lumiere), and JAD eighth graders Grace Michaud (Mrs. Potts), and Dylan Camden (Cogsworth).

Tickets are $8 ($5 for students) and can be purchased from cast members or at the either middle school office. Proceeds from the performances will go toward defraying the costs associated with the production.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

The lyrics to the song “Be Our Guest” says it all. “Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes. They can sing. They can dance.” Olivia Lanteri (Belle) and Jordan Cyr (Beast) waltz across the stage last weekend when curtains opened for the Southington middle school musical production of “Beauty and the Beast.” The cast included over 100 students from Kennedy and DePaolo middle schools, along with a 50-member stage crew. All shows were sold out, too.

Photos by KELLY MAY DEL DEBBIO

It’s almost like watching a classic movie when you already know the script by heart. Timothy Connellan ripped the page right out of the superintendent’s play book when he sent a letter to parents saying that middle school sports might be cut due to budget constraints. The cry comes every few years, and the script never wavers. The curtain opens on public comment, and a crowd of parents swarm the stage.

It’s funny. When programs for gifted students were on the chopping block a few years ago, turnout didn’t come close to this number of middle school athletic supporters.

It’s become a regular political bluff used in Southington finances. Politicians look serious about cuts. Parents get up in arms that their children’s education is being ripped apart. The young athletes are pawns painted as helpless victims in this predictable tug of war.

Even the arguments are always cut from the same tired list:

“People will stop moving to Southington if we cut sports.” (We think education, property value, crime, and jobs should rank higher on people’s lists when choosing a home.)

“What are these kids going to do after school?” (Play in the yard? Homework? Go early to youth league practice?).

“They’ll end up on the streets.” (There has to be at least one step between a school letter and a rap sheet).

“If we cut sports, our kids will turn to drugs.” (Perhaps we can push these kids toward other programs—like STEPS, robotics, or band—because, in recent years, athletes have been the ones involved in a number of drinking and drugging scandals. Middle school sports can’t be the answer).

In fact, you can argue that Glastonbury is consistently one of the best high school sports programs in the state—winning titles over the last decade in almost every sport—and they only have intramural clubs at the middle school level. Nobody left town over it, property values are fine, and more kids get involved with less cost to the taxpayers.

Middle school sports is one of the last vestiges from the junior high school era when freshmen were separated from the high school, studying with seventh and eighth graders at Kennedy and DePaolo. At games, rosters were mostly filled with freshmen (except for the most talented up-and-comers). The most important part of the system was that, as freshmen teams, they were designed to make players ready for varsity competition as sophomores—like freshmen teams still do.

The football team played a simpler version of the high school’s wishbone offense. The basketball, baseball, and softball teams were using similar drills, plays, and concepts as the Blue Knights and Lady Knights. In other words, school sports were matriculated in much the same way as math, science, or history. We would still strongly support that system.

Maybe it is time to cut these teams—especially those that are already servicing the same kids (and more) in the town’s many youth leagues (soccer, basketball, softball, and baseball). Maybe the town should only keep those sports with no youth option (cross country and girls volleyball)… By the way, these are the only sports at our town’s middle schools.

The truth is that cutting middle school sports won’t balance the budget. Keeping them won’t affect our high school programs. Other than cross country and volleyball, every kid that makes a middle school team is probably already playing the same sport on another youth team in town.

The orchestrated show was fun but pointless. The council has already approved a $1.9 million increase, and they have very little to say about how it’s spent. The Board of Education has many more important issues than middle school sports. Of course, those issues draw smaller crowds.

The Southington Police Department
69 Lazy Ln, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1600

The Southington Police Department has responded to reports in social media about local middle school students sending inappropriate texts.

In a press release, the SPD confirmed that there is an active investigation involving students at both middle schools.

“This is an active and ongoing investigation involving juveniles,” police said in the release, “and there will be no further comment or information released at this time.”

The investigation involves minors, so police will only release further information if they are able as it becomes available.

The Southington Police Department
69 Lazy Ln, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1600

The Southington Police Department announced that they have referred 14 suspects from a recent middle school investigation to the juvenile review board, a community-based diversion program. The referrals were a result of an investigation into reports that middle school students were sending inappropriate texts.

Police said in a press release that there were no charges associated with the referrals. The incidents were deemed to be a “delinquent act”. The names of the juveniles will not be released due to their ages.

The investigation started on May 12 after an anonymous adult reported to DePaolo Middle school administrators that there were naked photos on a juvenile’s phone. During the course of the investigation, it was learned that students from both DePaolo Middle School and Kennedy Middle School began sharing inappropriate text messages and photographs with each other via social media.

With the referrals, police have officially closed the investigation effective today.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

The Board of Education recently celebrated 27 Southington students in grades 4 to 8 for their science achievements at the state and national level. Through the Invention Convention, e-Cybermission, and Science and Engineering Fair, students created projects, many of which were winners.

“We do three major projects with the students from grades 4-8 and tonight we are here to recognize some of those outstanding performances,” said Southington’s science curriculum coordinator John Duffy.

Winners from each project were given certificates by BOE chairman Brian Goralski as families and teachers cheered them on. The Science and Engineering Fair, which is only held for seventh and eighth graders, had four award winners.

Professors and students from Central Connecticut State University come to Southington and assist with judging the student work.

The e-Cybermission competition is a group effort where teams of middle school students create projects that are judged. Eleven winners from three teams were recognized by the BOE during the ceremony.

Kennedy Middle School’s Angelina Micacci, Jenna Plourde, Brianna Solivan, and Molly Whitaker were awarded first place and each girl received a $1,000 savings bond. Another first place prize went to Benjamin Nagle, Collin Wilcox, and Brody Goodenough, who each received a $1,000 savings bond.

Remsha Hussain, Gwenyth Longo, Morgan LeBarron, and Isabella Warner each received a $500 dollar savings bond for their second place award at DePaolo Middle School.

BOE officials also honored the largest group of young scholars from the invention convention category. This competition is available for students in grades 4-8 and has numerous qualifying rounds that lead up to a national convention.

“We had 24 students go on to the regional event and qualify for the state event,” Duffy said during the celebration. Of those, we have 12 here tonight recognized at the state level and seven of those 12 were also selected to participate in the national Invention Convention in Washington, D.C.”

Just last weekend, Aravind Bhamidipati, Olivia Cascio, Jeffrey Cormier, Jillian Miller, Matthew Niro, Griffin O’Neill and Ryan Vargas participated in the national competition among 304 student competitors from 16 states.

Only 52 awards were presented following the competition and Cormier—DePaolo eighth grader—was one of them, bringing home third place in the seventh and eighth grade division.

“What most people don’t realize is that engineering starts in our schools through the STEM program as early as elementary schools,” said Goralski.

List of honored students:

2017 e-Cybermission Award Winners

• Cyber Warriors won first place ($1,000 savings bonds) for “A Cleaner Long Island Sound.” The Kennedy Middle School group included Jenna Plourde, Brianna Solivan, and Molly Whitaker.
• Kennedy Terminators won first place ($1,000 savings bonds) for “Portable Water Filtration System.” The Kennedy Middle School group included Benjamin Nagle, Collin Wilcox, and Brody Goodenough.
• Horsey and the Three Bears won second place ($500 savings bonds) for “Decreasing Water Pollution.” The DePaolo Middle School group included Remsha Hussain, Gwenyth Longo, Morgan LeBarron, and Isabella Warner.

2017 Science and Engineering Fair Winners

• Morgan Birdsey from DePaolo Middle School was a Pepsico Physical Sciences Awards finalist and a Physical Sciences CSF medallion winner (Grade 7) for “Snap, Crackle, Pop.”
• Ethan Lebo from Kennedy Middle School was a Pepsico Physical Sciences Awards finalist and a Physical Sciences CSF medallion winner (Grade 7) for “What quantity of dimples on a golf ball best contributes to flight distance?”
• Caleigh McDougall and Madison Johnston from Kennedy Middle School won third place in the Environmental Sciences Awards with CACIWC ($100) and the Henderson Award ($25 Amazon gift card) for “Oil Effect on Aquatic Plants.”

2017 Connecticut Invention Convention Winners

• Aravind Bhamidipati, a seventh grader at DePaolo Middle School, invented “Mailbot” to win the Microsoft Accessibility Award and qualify for nationals.
• Matthew Niro, a sixth grader from DePaolo Middle School, invented “W Squared Generator” to win the UCT Moving the World Forward Award and qualify for nationals.
• Olivia Cascio, a fifth grader from South End Elementary School, invented “The Busy Buddy Leash” and qualified for nationals.
• Jeffrey Cormier, an eighth grader from DePaolo Middle School, invented “ALBA—Adjustable Lawn Bag Apparatus” and qualified for nationals.
• Jillian Miller, a fifth grader from Derynoski Elementary School, invented “The Fab Trainer” and qualified for nationals.
• Griffin O’Neill, a fifth grader from Plantsville Elementary School, invented “Kid Mitt 5000” and qualified for nationals.
• Ryan Vargas, a fifth grader from Kelly Elementary School, invented “Sound Up” and qualified for nationals.
• Payton Turnquist, an eighth grader from DePaolo Middle School, invented “Fire Bright” to win the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering Award.
• Sadie Garfinkel, an eighth grader from DePaolo Middle School, invented “The Detachable Walker.”
• Luciano Prado, a sixth grader from Kennedy Middle School, invented “Port-ector.”
• Hannah Provo, a fifth grader from South End Elementary School, invented “Desk Organizer.”
• Ewan Swidorski, a fourth grader from Thalberg Elementary School, invented “Backyard Buddy.”

By BRIAN JENNINGS

STAFF WRITERS

Scores of future Blue Knights poured onto the Southington High School sports complex on Sunday, June 11 for the third running of the Knights Cup meet. The annual event pits students from the town’s middle schools and elementary schools in a modified high school meet.

The students learn about various track and field events before plunging headfirst into competition. When the smoke cleared this year, Thalberg Elementary School collected 117 points to end the Derynoski dynasty and claim the 2017 elementary school title.

“I think that has a direct reflection on the Thalberg running club, which is really taking off,” said Blue Knight track coach Dan Dachelet. “The participation numbers are up, and they have great leadership. Derynoski is obviously the biggest elementary school, so it’s nice to see one of the smaller schools win.”

Hatton (48) finished as runner-up, followed by Derynoski (14) and Kelley (8), but Dachelet said that everyone comes away a winner—especially his Blue Knight boys and girls teams. The Southington coach has been watching his team grow in numbers each year, expanding so much that the outdoor track and field program was forced to add a stipend assistant coaching position this spring. Dachelet credits the youth programs and the Knights Cup.

As he prepared for this year’s event, Dachelet noticed a growing number of Knights Cup alumni that are currently leading the high school teams.

“That was the first time I saw that,” the coach said. “We’re starting to see some of the benefits of kids that participated in this at the middle school level. We do it for a lot of reasons, and certainly one of them is to create that energy to participate in high school track and cross country.”

Reuben E. Thalberg Elementary School

The following elementary athletes took home gold medals: Riley Prozzo (Thalberg) in the 100m dash (15.00), Chris Regalbuti (Thalberg) in the 400m dash (76.94), Jason Matthews (Thalberg) in the 1600m run (6:39.3), Kevin O’Neill (Thalberg) in the shot put (15’11”), Devin Grove in the turbo javelin throw (53’5”), and Alvi Bylykic (Hatton) in the long jump (11’8”).

Runner-ups included the following: Miranda Poirer (Hatton) in the 100m dash, Prozzo in the 400m dash, Kaylee Regabuti (Thalberg) in the 1600m run, Claire O’Neill (Thalberg) in the shot put, Matthews in the turbo javelin throw, and Ihor Voronchak (Hatton) in the long jump.

There were no entries for the softball throw.

John F. Kennedy Middle School

Kennedy (137) beat out DePaolo (81) by over 50 points to earn the honors of best Southington middle school.

The following middle school athletes took home gold medals: Sean Lafontaine (DePaolo) in the 100m dash (13.62), Jared Rivera (Kennedy) in the 400m dash (62.74), Drew Nafis (DePaolo) in the 1600m run (5:42.3), Ryan Ogren (Kennedy) in the shot put (23’4”), Evan Kristopik (Kennedy) in the turbo javelin throw (72’5”), Tralee Shea (Kennedy) in the softball throw (92’10”), and Kelsi Hourigan (Kennedy) in the long jump (13’11.5”).

Runner-ups included the following: Grayson Borla (Kennedy) in the 1600m run and long jump, Jake Nafis (DePaolo) in the 100m dash, Caitlyn Hourigan (Kennedy) in the 400m dash, Lincoln Cardillo (DePaolo) in the shot put, and Cameron Parke (Kennedy) in the turbo javelin throw.

With finals for school and end-of-the-year events happening, it’s tough to squeeze some free time into your schedule sometimes. During such a busy time of the year, Dachelet and his staff have yet to crack the code on when the best time is to hold the event.

However, that doesn’t mean that this year’s Knights Cup wasn’t a success, as Southington’s young running community continues to grow through the event.

“The kids that go to this have a blast,” said Dachelet. “The parents come up to us and tell us that it’s a great idea. Now, it’s just trying to spread the word a little bit better.”

 For this week’s box scores, click here: (southingtonobserver.com/2017/06/20/weekly-scoreboard-for-the-june-23-edition). To contact sports writer Brian Jennings, email him at BJennings@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Kennedy students in Amy Perry’s third period class delivered 150 pounds of food to Southington’s Food Pantry in May after the teacher challenged her kids to find and solve a problem in the community. The students weighed the food that they collected and were given a tour by Mark Fazzolari, Community Services Assistant Director.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

Cheers, tears, and middle school peers encompassed the Board of Education last Thursday, Aug. 10. In a series of motions, the board unanimously approved a partnership with the Southington Middle School Athletics Association (SMSAA) which will function as a booster club to support athletics at Kennedy and DePaolo middle schools.

After budget cuts forced the board to cut middle school sports funding for the upcoming school year, students and parents, along with BOE members and faculty, joined forces to “save middle school sports.”

Last week, they accomplished their goal to keep the middle school sports program uninterrupted despite the budgetary constraints.

As co-chairs of the middle school activities committee—which met weekly throughout the summer to strategize—board members Patricia Queen and Zaya Oshana led the discussion.

“Southington Public Schools will run the programs, which include the hiring and evaluation of coaches, scheduling and transportation, and the establishment of payment for the events,” Oshana said. “The funding for the coaches’ stipend is going to be collected and submitted before the start of each season to ensure that there is funding to pay for the coaches.”

A $100 dollar activity fee will be charged to each student for each sport they participate in. An online paying system for parents to pay the fee will be available, much like the lunch program where parents pre-pay for their child’s breakfast and lunches.

“One of the main reasons money will be collected in that way is to protect the confidentiality of students and families that could not afford this fee,” said Queen.

If a student is unable to afford the cost, they will not be excluded from the program. SMSAA is raising money to help offset those costs.

“Surrounding communities have comparable and in some cases a more expensive fee,” said Mike Taylor, a local parent who spoke against cutting sports at previous BOE meetings and helped create SMSAA. He represents DePaolo on the executive board.

Taylor delivered an in-depth presentation during the Aug 10 meeting, seeking approval of the association’s three-year plan to sustain after-school sports teams. The model anticipates restoring as many middle school sports programs in the first year as funding allows.

Next year, SMSAA hopes to restore schedules that were unable to be fully funded in the first year and look for opportunities to expand activities.

“There’s all sorts of opportunities and ideas out there, but is there an opportunity to not only replace what was lost, but in fact get something else on the calendar,” Taylor said.

By year three, the booster club wants to establish intramural programs that would be open to all students at both schools.

The booster club plans to hold fundraising events throughout the year while also seeking scholarships from local organizations such as the Joe & Kay Calvanese Foundation and Dick’s Sporting Goods “Sports Matter” program.

Before the BOE members voted to approve the initiative, many commented on the determination of students and parents to make it all possible. When cutting middle school sports was even rumored on the agenda, scores of Southington residents poured into meetings to speak against it.

“You didn’t think we were listening, but we were listening to all these comments,” BOE member Terry Lombardi said. “It was the strength of that voice that really impacted us.”

While the public school budget for 2017-18 could not support sports programs, SMSAA came together for any effort that could help.

“You just saved our middle school sports,” Oshana said before the room began clapping.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

By BRIAN JENNINGS

STAFF WRITER

Southington has had a rich tradition of being a sports town and has built a reputation of strong programs in sports like softball, baseball, and football at the high school level, and some residents believe that it starts at the youth level. When school officials threatened to cut middle school sports, they rallied.

With recent budget cuts in the state of Connecticut, all Southington middle school sports were eliminated completely from Kennedy and DePaolo this past spring, with the exception of cross country. Through a community effort of volunteers and middle school parents, a booster club was formed in partnership with the Southington Public Schools to try and maintain those programs, called the Southington Middle School Athletic Association (SMSAA).

In order to accomplish this task, SMSAA has to raise about $40,000-$60,000 annually to continue fall, winter, and spring middle school sports. In addition, players will have to pay a $100 activity fee per roster spot. SMSAA had to raise about $22,000 to continue fall middle school sports three days a week.

“We are reaching out to the community, businesses, the chamber of commerce, and parents to let them know what’s going on,” said SMSAA president Mike DeFeo. “We’re trying to do anything we can to raise funds to keep middle school sports alive.”

The SMSAA met with the Southington Board of Education last month to present their new plan to accept funds they’ve collected, as well as implement a new method of paying for middle school sports. The board approved their plan.

“It was outstanding,” said DeFeo. “They had three votes, and the votes in motion were generally 24-0 in favor of moving forward.”

The SMSAA has already worked about a number of different fundraisers to keep a full schedule of six middle school sports, starting for the fall season, which includes two boys soccer teams, two girls soccer teams, and two girls volleyball teams. After their first test of trial and error, the SMSAA didn’t raise the $22,000 they needed for fall sports. They raised $25,000.

“We are very ecstatic and appreciative of our community for steeping up, especially my committee,” said DeFeo. “We have a bunch of fundraisers coming up at the end of this month, in October, and in November, and we feel pretty confident that we can get there.”

The Southington YMCA has been working with some of the members from the SMSAA on a fundraiser to support their cause. The YMCA created a category for the Apple Harvest Festival Road Races called, “TEAM SMSAA.”

Those that sign up for TEAM SMSAA to run either the 5K or 5-mile races will pay $30, with $20 going to the road race and $10 going towards TEAM SMSAA. The normal entry fee for either race is $25.

“I think this is a win-win situation,” said Southington YMCA executive director John Myers. “We’re helping out a very dedicated group and creating a new opportunity to attract new participants to the Apple Harvest Festival Road Races.”

Going forward, the SMSAA plans to follow a three-phase approach. Keeping the project up and running to restore as many middle school sports programs that funding will allow is the goal for the initial year. If the funds max out, they’re looking at a three to four-day schedule.

Phase two includes more of a full-day schedule. Phase three is adding incremental activities, like intramurals, in order to get more students involved.

“If we can’t fulfill the first year, we’ll restore as many as we can the second year,” said DeFeo. “We’ll get it all up and running in the third year, establishing an intramural program that would be open to the entire student population of both schools. It becomes a true partnership between the town’s people and department of education.”

According to their YouCaring page, “SMSAA’s goal is to work in cooperation with the various Town of Southington departments to improve, maintain, and support the town’s after-school athletic program for middle school students. We believe that strong middle school athletic programs are vital to the active, healthy culture and shared values of our community. This association will provide a channel through which residents and other interested parties can unify and partner with each other for the advancement of these programs in our town.”

Other officers of the SMSAA include Alisa DelMonte, Kim Carr, Casie Messina, Chris Shanley-Buck, and Mike Taylor. According to their website, the SMSAA has an EIN number and has filed for 501c3 status as a charitable foundation with the IRS. Currently, the SMSAA has raised a total of $3,240 towards the winter season.

For more information on the SMSAA, you can visit their Facebook page or donate to their cause at www.youcaring.com/southingtonmiddleschoolstudents-906501.

To comment on this story or to contact sports writer Brian Jennings, email him at bjennings@southingtonobserver.com.

Donna Swanson, executive director of the FOCUS Center for Autism and Fresh Start School, is no stranger to miracles and has made it her life’s mission to change and empower the lives of her students and their families living with Autism.

Motivated to increase authentic awareness in the broader community and celebrate her students’ abilities during National Learning Disabilities Month, the Fresh Start School will be hosting an open house on Tuesday, Oct. 17 and a community-wide panel discussion in Southington on Thursday, Oct. 19.

“Too often children with Autism are placed in one of only two narratives: as very high-functioning individuals with social quirks or as extremely impacted and socially difficult to engage. This needs to broaden,” Swanson said in a press release. “Here at FOCUS and the Fresh Start School, we aim to change these misconceptions and prove that every child – no matter where they land on the spectrum – enriches our communities.”

The open house will educate interested parents, potential students, educators of public and private schools, and curious members of surrounding towns to the programs and curriculum catering specifically to children with autism. Most notable is the school’s foundation education model: the clinically-grounded Milieu Therapy. Swanson said in the release that the successful use of Milieu has provided an environment where students are constantly being supported, nourished and reinforce the child’s ability to learn life skills, such as problem solving and coping skills while, at the same time, offer a safe place for these skills to be practiced and integrated into the child’s repertoire of strategies.

Swanson has accepted an invitation to lead an open panel discussion by Next Steps Parent Support Group at the Southington School System, funded by the regional Wheeler Clinic. The panel will be held at John F. Kennedy Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 19.

“We all want to see our children feel loved, valued, and succeed,” Swanson said in the release. “That’s why community engagement in helping our children with different abilities reach their fullest potentials is crucial. Learning how to interact and set someone up for life-long success is not just a parenting concern or education system’s concern, but a public responsibility that can only serve the best interest of the entire community.”

The Fresh Start School Open House is Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 126 Down Avenue in Canton.