Annual Superintendent Community Football Night Highlights Youthful Talent, Teamwork

Sept. 21 is the first day of fall in the northern hemisphere. It is characterized by the beginning of cooler temperatures and the Jackson Pollock red, orange, brown and golden colors of New England. But in Moreno Valley it takes on a different meaning: it means at least one more dry, hot, windy month. Across the country, fall also means that football season is underway. Nov. 1 was a classic fall day in Moreno Valley, with the Santa Ana winds blowing from the east. The daytime weather was in the high 80s, with a crimson sunset ushering in the evening with a twinge of a chill in the air. Football was the game of the day; the “City Football” game was held at the Vista del Lago High School campus. In a scheduling twist due to the sharing of the stadium, Canyon Springs High School hosted Vista del Lago and many school and community dignitaries. Dignitaries present included Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Kenneth Young, Moreno Valley Unified School District School Board (MVUSD) members and their families, MVUSD Superintendent Dr. Judy White, assistant superintendents, directors, and principals from many elementary and middle schools. The initial city football game was played with the intent to bring the community together with the common bond of loving and supporting students in the MVUSD. The game, which was won by Canyon Springs 39 to 7, served to showcase the talents of students at each school. Canyon Springs began the evening with a salute to their senior football athletes, an annual ritual traditionally held at the final home football game. The National Anthem was performed by a student from Vista del Lago, a winner of the “Music Changing Lives” talent contest. Half time spotlighted the Canyon Springs High School marching band. In a surprise performance at the conclusion of half time, both Canyon Springs and the fledgling Vista del Lago marching bands formed a concert semicircle facing the Vista del Lago crowd and offered up a musical selection to the visiting Vista del Lago Ravens; this was the first half time performance by a Raven band in over 10 years. The game concluded with Vista del Lago breaking through Canyon Springs defense and scoring a touchdown. Following the match, both teams came from the sidelines in single file and shook hands as they passed on the field. Because of re-leaguing, this may be the last meeting of the two teams for at least two years. As the fans exited the stadium and the evening wound down, the last of the students were talking and playing with one another in the parking lot without animosity, but rather just in the spirit of friendship, as the last administrators from both Canyon and Vista del Lago watched them. The spirit of team work, cooperation and fellowship still lives in Moreno Valley. As Marc Anthony stated in Shakespeare’s Julius Cesar, “...the evil that men do live after them and the good be interred with their bones...”; we hear so much about the evils of drugs, gangs, violence and corruption in Moreno Valley that it over shadows the good and decent kids and activities also found here in MoVal.