Football Friday is a tradition here in southern Ohio and ultimately across much of small-town America.

But that should be only one part of school spirit. We hope that all the fans remember that tomorrow and take time to celebrate the academic side of schools as well.

Nothing says we shouldn’t celebrate the gridiron games and recognize the players and coaches who work hard to showcase their school colors. These individuals deserve praise but it should never come at the expense of academics and other aspects of public education.

We hope to see parents, boosters and citizens get just as excited about the band, the cheerleaders, the other fall sports, the teachers and administrators.

And perhaps most important, we hope to see excitement about the successes in the classrooms match that off those for achievements on the field.

With the Ohio Department of Education just releasing the state report cards, now is the perfect time to show your school pride.

Fans are overjoyed when their team walks off the team victorious. We hope to see that same level of cheering for the districts that did well and worked hard to put education first.

And on the other side of the coin, football fans are often distraught over losses, often taking them to heart and vowing to get involved by talking to a player, getting a coaches’ ear or just cheering louder. We hope to see that same level of participation on the academic side.

Everyone should fill the stadiums and cheer for their teams Friday night but remembering to root for their schools all week long.