One of the objectives envisioned by Foundation University in launching the Negros Athletic Association (NAA) was to utilize the various activities attending its implementation as an opportunity to test its feasibility to provide templates that could be adopted in the K-12 program.
Republic Act 10533, or the K-12 Basic Education Program law, makes it compulsory for children to enroll in kindergarten before they can begin six years of primary education. Two years are added to the four-year high school curriculum. The additional years serve as a specialization period for senior high school students.
Each senior high school student can choose among three specialization tracks: academic; technical-vocational-livelihood; and sports and arts.
The academic track includes three strands: business, accountancy, management; humanities, education, social sciences; and science, technology, engineering, mathematics.
The recently-concluded NAA Habagat Season One where basketball, football, sepak takraw, and volleyball were played, proved the potential of the athletic league in providing excellent opportunities for specialization in the senior year of high school.
FU High School students played a major role in the opening program as emcees and musicians providing musical entertainment performed by the iPad Band.
PEHM (PE, Health & Music) majors enrolled in an administration course learned about scheduling tournaments and hands-on experience in setting up playing areas and equipment, operating timing devices, providing amenities by meeting out-of-town delegations, and making sure the playing venues are fit for competition.
Medals and trophies were hand-crafted from wood, showing potentials for business opportunities in producing items used as awards for sporting and other competitive events.
Website production offered valuable lessons for students enrolled in the IT program and business management courses.
The NAA website with its various components which include feature stories, photos, teasers, YouTube videos showing the entire games; Facebook, Twitter, and other social media technology reflect the professionalism of the league’s management.
The most significant lessons learned in the NAA were acquired by the mass communication students. The various events they were assigned to cover provided quality experiences serving as on-the-job training. Their outputs can be seen/heard in the website, local publications, TV, and radio.
Indeed, the NAA experience, after just one season of its staging, manifests self-evident potential of fulfilling this goal. (PR)
