By Roderick O.

Family Foundation School Show Choir and Chorus’ Adventure to Hershey Park 

“I gained a new respect for the performing arts program after my trip to Hershey,” said spectator Mitch M. This was the response I got from one of the seven spectators that were taken on the trip; which was a huge success.

This trip happens every year and every year Paul G., Tom K. and their performers never disappoint the school. The week before they left they had three days in a row of all day rehearsals. All students involved put in many monotonous hours of practice and poured their emotions into the stage. Without the hard work they put into practicing they wouldn’t have been as successful as they were.

The trip was three days considering the long drive, the performance, and a little side trip to the amusement park itself. Students and staff spent two nights in a hotel. The first night, the performers spent most of their time in apprehension waiting for the following day to arrive; when it did they were more than ready.

The performance ended with the family school receiving Superior Men’s Chorus, Most Outstanding Choral Ensemble, Superior Show Choir, First Place Mixed Chorus, Superior Women’s chorus and an individual award given to Dezi H. for Outstanding Soloist- Choral Event.

Upon return, the students that went explained it was the most successful FFS has ever been during this competition and the rides in the park were “Insane.” “It good knowing that all the hard work I put in didn’t go to waste and I plan on giving my mom the plaque I won for her birthday,” said Dezi H.

By Roderick O.

Golf Review

Golf has been a positive outlet for many students to practice respect and patience for themselves and their opponents. So far this season has taught me that I have more patience than I thought and that God places certain situation in front of me for a reason. I know he has a plan; therefore I keep moving forward and don’t quit when situations get tough. Golf has helped me persevere through challenges and pray more often than I do.

The beginning of the season was a bit shaky because I wasn’t use to the elegance of the sport; being away from it for so long. The camaraderie has grown throughout the team and positive encouragement is far from absent. When I golf with my team and I’m not doing so well they always tend to help me out by telling me to pray and stay in the moment.

Despite our first 6 losses, the positive encouragement and steady growing camaraderie has uplifted the team to a 3 game winning streak. “The wins will keep coming if we stay focused in the moment, have fun and be positive in all situations,” said my teammate Stephan D.

“We believe that we keep what we have by giving it away.”

The A. A. slogan “You have to give it away to keep it” reflects the underlying spirit of giving found in the 12-Step way of life. Those hoping to stay sober are encouraged to give back, to give unselfishly of their time, their resources, their talents. The rooms are full of success stories of those who owe their sobriety to “giving it away.”

The slogan also refers to another type of giving, something that goes on at The Family School throughout the day, every day: students telling their stories. Sharing their experience, strength and hope is one way our students inspire and motivate each other while reinforcing their own progress. When they put their stories out there with the intention of helping others, they end up re-committing to their own program of recovery and move forward with renewed faith and gratitude.

By Roderick O.

March Madness Basketball Comes to FFS

Despite a minor delay, March Madness finally made its way to the Family School. Jan C. and Carlton W. created their own basketball tournament and posted sign-ups a couple weeks ago. The tournament was double elimination with ten captains each able to choose two participants in a draft.

Last week the FFS March Madness coordinators, Jan C. and Carlton W, announced the captains of the tournament during circle-up. The captains were called to quickly get their food and head over to Jan’s room for the draft. There were thirty participants in the entire tournament and twenty kids in the draft. As soon as all the captains were gathered in Jan’s room both Carlton and Jan explained that this tournament is about having a good time with your friends.

Each captain was chosen to pick a random number on a folded piece of paper. After the draft was over smiles erupted and everyone was excited to finally play in the tournament.

During the tournament everyone enjoyed each other’s company and arguments were seldom. Winning became more and more of a priority once Jan said the winners will be going out to dinner with him, but everyone still kept in mind that we were there to have fun.

As one of the captains I was fairly confident in my team’s ability. We ended up going to the championship game while being undefeated. Because it was double elimination, the team that we were playing had to beat us twice for us to lose. We beat them the first game and became the FFS March Madness Champions.

Cameron S., Wesley D., and I will be treated to a dinner with Jan C. during the next couple weeks. “Being my second year doing this, I knew this was going to be a fun experience and it was nothing short of that,” said my teammate Cameron S.

We believe that we don’t get right without God in our lives. 

People in recovery often talk about the void they attempted to fill with drugs, alcohol, or other addictive substances, or about the feelings they were trying to numb. Often these feelings stemmed from feeling inferior, the belief that they were lacking in some essential area, or that they had failed in a way that everyone else had succeeded or even excelled.

In truth, their only void, the only thing they lack, is faith:  faith in themselves and in a higher power, a God of their own understanding, who is ready, willing and able to help them discover, embrace and achieve their full potential and give real meaning to their lives.

Those who succeed in recovery are those who can tolerate the void and the emptiness long enough to replace their addictive substances or behaviors with a working faith; those who are willing to add a spiritual dimension to their life and build on it. When we understand that addiction is as much a spiritual disease as it is a mental or physical one, we can relax in the knowledge that “getting it right” is a spiritual process as well.

By Roderick O.

Spring Sports get started at The Family Foundation School

With the end of basketball season and the start of warm weather, new sports are beginning at The Family Foundation School. Spring sports are a great outlet for students to not only catch some sun, but to spend some traveling off campus as well. The school’s options for spring sports are softball and Golf. Both teams have been practicing for several weeks outside because the weather has been delightful. The softball team has their practices on the diligently cared for Family School softball field and the golf team take travels to the French Woods golf course.

Taking a closer look at softball; their previous season was a disappointment in the scorebook, but this year’s softball team looks extremely promising. Led by captain and starting pitcher Shannon S. the opposition may have a tough time scoring this year. Coach Larry P. insisted that this year’s team looks very hopeful and the girls are extremely motivated to work hard.

Working hard seems to a common theme for spring sports this season. Golf team captain Cameron S. seems very confident, but reminds his teammates that winning will not come easily. The overall vibe from the team is one of excitement to be outside playing such an elegant sport and motivated to gets some wins.

As a returning member to the team I have grown fond, not only of the sport, but of the edict that comes with it. Golf is the cherry on top of the sundae while I prepare to graduate in June.

By Roderick O.

NCAA College Basketball Tournament

The Family School students were privileged to be able to watch the first battle of the Final Four NCAA basketball tournament between Kentucky and Louisville and the first half of the Ohio and Kansas game. Since there is no cable television at the school was a tremendous treat for whoever wanted to take advantage of it. There was talk between staff and students about whether or not they would be able to watch the games. I.T. Intern Lucas M. took the initiative and announced a sign-up for the event. The students responded with enthusiasm and nearly every sports fan raced to the sign-up.

The Final Four is the outcome of a sixty-eight team bracketed tournament where either you win or you go home. Colleges from all over the country compete in this tournament in hopes they will make it to the National Championship. The tournament became a focal point for students to rally around and express their desire to see their favorite team win. Because students at the school come from all over the country team loyalty is intense and varied.  Never the less, all the sports fan were grateful for the chance to watch the Final Four, even if their top choice teams were not involved.

The games were displayed on a projector screen in one of the classrooms. The wild crowd of sports fanatics could be heard throughout the school.

In college basketball, anything is possible, so the games could have gone either way. This was proven early in this year’s tournament when number one seed Duke lost in the first round to number fifteen seed Lehigh; one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history.

None of this would have been possible without the help of Mike Arigiros and his intern Lucas M.  Argiros, a bit of a sports fan himself, was glad to help out and give the kids an “extra something” to look forward to. He also provided all the snacks and beverages and allowing the spectators to go to bed a little later than usual to watch some of the Ohio State and Kansas game. “It was really great to have the opportunity to watch some college basketball. I would to like thank Mike Argiros for organizing this event,” said spectator and Buckeye fan Cameron S.

A Sixth Step Reflection

By Roderick O.

“Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”

Throughout my time working the steps the hardest thing for me was turning my will and my life over to the care of God as I understood him. I am a very controlling person and the mere thought of not being able to control my own life stirs up a mix of emotions; the main one being fear.

Today, my connection with God and my sponsor allows me to be open-minded and willing. Though the fear is still there, I constantly talk to God and ask him to help me through the process of removing my defects. “If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing.”

There is no doubt in my mind that I will never lose the person I use to be, but with God guiding me I will continually have support to removing my defects of character.