Ada’s 7th grade Language Arts classes are on track to achieve several personal and community goals this school year, according to Bill Faine, “mayor” of the classes.

In reality, Faine is the teacher, and that’s where the fun and personal goals begin.

“I want them (the students) to be active, productive and part of the community,” said Faine.

To do that, Faine had the students form their own communities and, just as in real life, set goals for their communities. Thus, Faine, as teacher, becomes community mayor. “Our class communities are based on being positive and reliable to and for all members.”

The goals vary from community to community, ranging from grade goals, respect goals and not being negative.

Faine, who taught science for nine years and switched to language arts three years ago, said that the community building began last school year. “Students started talking about it and now everyone’s buying into it,” he said.

Three communities formed at the beginning of the school year. They call themselves Baconators Community, Buckeyes Community and Fab 25 Community.

During the first nine weeks of school, Faine is happy to report that the Baconators and Buckeyes both exceeded their community goals. The Fab 25 narrowly missed their goals.

Faine says that many individual students reached their personal goals for the quarter.

Those students included:
Austin Amburgey
Miquel Gonzalez
Kama Arn
Addison Gonzaga
Loniesha Lee
Jacob Colwell
Anabel Alexander
Alyssa Bushong
Brayden Cheney
Rilan Conley
Olivia Ennis
Alexis Ennis
Alison Hamilton
Emma Ferguson
Kaleigh Heitmeyer
Michael Hellman
Dalys Huff
Noah Garmon
Matthew Middlebrook
Cade Mullins
Jacob Okuly
Brook Rudasill
Keli Trudeau
James Wilson
Mason Waugh
Haley Callahan
Levi England
Raina England
Allison Dotson
Brice Ferguson
Damien Fuqua
Noah Mattson
Audrey Hazelton
Carson Hissong
Emma Jameson
Brendan Sheridan
Abby Spangler
Bryce Tidd
Rylee Webb

Faine said that several students barely missed their goals.