Posted on

Being Competitive and Humble

Hoop dreams come alive at Felicity! The Chicago Area Alternative Education League (CAAEL) provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to compete. First year basketball coach, Sol Luskin, knows firsthand that planning, preparation, and execution are the keys to success both on and off the court. Felicity students have been provided an extra layer of motivation to be good citizens, complete their work, and participate in a competitive setting that values leadership and sportsmanship.

After every CAAEL game, it is tradition for the student athletes to award two sportsmanship ribbons to the opposing team. Felicity students have participated in the ribbon ceremony three times now. Those that present the ribbons have gained the unique opportunity to provide specific praise to someone they have just competed against. With a record of 2-1 during the 2017-2018 season, Felicity is poised to have fun and hopefully win a few more games, all while learning how to be humble.

Posted on

Woodshop:  Finish What You Started

For the 2017-2018 school year Felicity Students can explore what they can accomplish with their hands. Working with wood is a tactile learning experience that brings together the following skills: hand-eye coordination, following procedures, being creative, and the true reward of creating something from a piece of material. Students see practical applications of their math skills and learn to “measure twice and cut once.”

The evolution of a woodworker has been recreated firsthand in the inaugural year of woodshop at Felicity. To start the year, two construction horses were built and a piece of scrap wood was laid over the top to create a necessary workbench. From there, woodshop students followed a cut list and measured and processed 2×4’s into the correct lengths to build a more defined workbench. Being the antithesis to the digital age, woodshop classes expose students to manual labor that builds confidence, strength of character, and problem-solving skills due to the unique nature of each individual piece of lumber. From exposing students to trade opportunities or developing true GRIT, woodshop is a true-life lesson experience.