WRHS Students Work with Craneville Students on the Meaning of "Sportsmanship"

Sportsmanship starts early!

On Friday, November 20th, 13 students from Wahconah went to Craneville Elementary School to help support sportsmanship and respect at recess and lunch. The students, a mixture of athletes and non-athletes and males and females, came to speak to each of the 4th and 5th grade classes about what respectful play would look and feel like at recess. The discussions also covered topics such as what it means to be inclusive, about being the best teammate you can be, and how to be a good friend/classmate. The students from Wahconah spent about 20 - 30 minutes in each class and then spent time with each of the grades at recess where they supervised and participated in activities and offered supportive feedback to all students. In addition, several also went out of their way to engage with students who otherwise tend to remove themselves from peer interactions - clearly modeling what we mean when we say we are an inclusive school community. In between recess times, the WRHS students joined the entire 4th and 5th grade classes for lunch dispersing themselves among each class/table. Here they were able to engage in more direct conversations, offer supportive advice about behaviors towards each other, and make positive connections to the students. The message of sportsmanship and inclusion was felt strongly by all and efforts to coordinate return visits to Craneville and expand to even younger grades are underway.  Many thanks to Craneville Principal Debbie White, Asst. Principal Stephanie Friedman, School Adjustment Counselor Jon Friedman, and WRHS Athletic Director Jared Shannon for making this and all future events possible!