Students have the opportunity to earn community service hours and cheer on their favorite football team when they cheer with the Spirit Section, at home and away games.

“The Administration started giving hours when it became a requirement to have 80 community service hours to graduate,” student activities director Cindy Spitz said.

About two years ago administration started offering hours for participating in the Spirit Section.

“As soon as community hours became a part of graduation, that’s when they started giving the hours,” Spitz said. “The students didn’t need the hours (before).”

The Spirit Section helps students earn community service hours to meet the graduation requirement.

“It’s (an opportunity to gain community service hours) on social media and posted online,” Spitz said.

Many students know about earning hours through the Spirit Section, so many attend.

“I’d say it’s a good half and half, it motivates the students to go out and cheer and get hours while cheering,” junior Mary Mena said.

Five hours can be earned per game.

“We try to have (a Spirit Section) at every sport to cheer on our teams,” junior Catalina Crosse said.

Being able to earn hours is easier and more fun when all one has to do is cheer on a favorite team.

“Certain games have a Spirit Section but mostly the Ysleta away game,” Crosse said

There is a limit to the use of Spirit Section hours.

“They can’t use the Spirit Section hours for loss of credit because it is not educational,” Crosse said.

The opportunity to earn hours at the football games through the Spirit Section also boosts school spirit.

“It greatly benefits students because it motivates us to go out at cheer for our team and get hours while doing it,” sophomore Lina Duchene said.

Students can earn up to 30 hours if they go to every home game.

“The last game was my first time going to the Spirit Section and it was a great experience to have fun and earn hours at the same time,” Duchene said.