PASSAIC VALLEY SOCCER EVENT HELPS STUDENTS WITH AUTISM

On June 12, the Bergen/ Passaic Valley Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program for students with autism and other disabilities hosted Pequannock High School in a soccer game, as the schools competed and celebrated the hard work of students in their programs.

This was the second time the teams met this year, as they collaborated efforts to allow students the opportunity to be integrated with other students from the general education population, as well as different schools, while participating in soccer.

Passaic Valley's program had the help of behaviorist Claire Arvin, and head teachers Sharon Bannon and Val Afrasiniei. Physical Education teachers Marc Salvatore and Brian Kapral, who have taught the students on a daily basis, were on hand as well.

Pequannock is directed by Kim Buscher, and both teams were fortunate to have the help of many teachers and aids to assist the students during skill-progression activities and game play.

"We are fortunate to have the complete support from the administration here at Passaic Valley," said Salvatore, a long-time varsity coach at PV. "They were in attendance for this great event."

According to Kapral, himself a coach at PV, the day consisted of the students stretching and warming up together. They were then introduced as teams and the students ran through the school banners. There were cheerleaders on the sideline, and the National Anthem was sung by Rebecca Frankel, from Passaic Valley's program, with the help of Annie Challice.

"Rebecca's singing of the Anthem was just incredible," said Kapral. "It was a big highlight of the day."

The teams from Pequannock and PV then competed in a modified 8-on-8 soccer game, despite the hot weather. Both teams wore jerseys designed and made by the programs.

Students from Passaic Valley's program were directed on the field from their classroom aides, who did an incredible job all day. Those aides were Scott Aiello, Dustin Mullen, Corinne Moreau, Alexis Cudros, Luke Fess, Karen McKinon, Carmen Paccioni, Michele Terranova-Rezzonico, Zulema Vilches and speech therapist Alison Conca.

The day concluded as the teams ate lunch and enjoyed a medal presentation ceremony.

With the success of both competitions this year, Passaic Valley and Pequannock will continue to work together in an attempt to grow this intramural league by adding other local high school programs.