The Somerville High School Boys Ice Hockey Team was recently awarded the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Educational Athletics Achievement Award, in recognition of their outstanding community service work this year. Aside from their commitment on the ice, Somerville ice hockey student-athletes have dedicated their off-ice time to giving back to the community in a number of ways. From serving veterans and seniors at the Mayor’s Thanksgiving Dinner held at the Somerville Council of Aging, to helping at a local toy drive and running a toy drive with the Lynn Jets that donated toys to the Mystic Learning Center and to the Lynn Community Center, Highlander Ice Hockey players have played an important role in making a positive difference in the lives of their fellow Somerville community members. The MIAA acknowledged their leadership in demonstrating the five pillars of MIAA Educational Athletics at a special recognition event on Wednesday, January 23rd. MIAA’s five pillars serve as the criteria to achieving excellence in a school’s athletic program and include the following:

• Wellness –empower students to make healthy life choices
• Sportsmanship – respect for self, team, opponents, officials, rules, and the game itself
• Coaches’ Education – provide resources for teacher-coaches who serve as curriculum instructors of educational athletics
• Leadership – promote the power of positive influence that student-athletes and teacher-coaches share as role models
• Community Service – recognize the privilege of athletic participation and the responsibility of giving back to the community