They may interact daily in classrooms and hallways, come face-to-face at sports games and practices and even encounter each other outside of AHS, but it is rare that students and faculty get the chance to square off against each other on a basketball court. Tomorrow at 2:45 p.m. in the main gym, however, they will compete against each other in the Class of 2012-sponsored student-faculty basketball game.

The event, which is the first AHS has held in several years, will serve as one of the senior class’ final fundraisers of the year in an attempt to lower ticket prices for Prom.

“We had one three years ago that was a complete blast,” Class of 2012 Sponsor Whitney Dunning said. “I thought it’d be a good way to raise money for Prom.”

“We decided that we could raise a large amount of our funds through this basketball game as we come close to our Prom deadline,” Senior Class President AJ Janwatin added. “Ms. Dunning believed that this would be the most profitable event for us.”

The game has been in the works since January, when both Dunning and Janwatin sat down to begin organizing the event.

“We started planning and organizing the event right after the winter basketball season; therefore, many basketball players were asked to be on the student team,” Janwatin said.

The Class of 2012 officers continued to build each team by contacting students and teachers who they believed would be interested in competing. In addition to compiling both teams, they also enlisted the aid of senior Max Talley and science teacher Mariam Suqi as commentators and senior Monte McCarthy and science teacher Samantha Kreshover as referees.

“[I’m participating] because I love basketball and nothing is more fun than showing the teachers how to play,” McCarthy said.

Since then, Dunning and Janwatin have spent countless hours planning and organizing the competition, in addition to collecting donations for prizes to be given away to those in attendance.

“We tried to tailor to a lot of different kids in the population with all the different prizes that we’ve gotten,” Dunning said.

According to Dunning, the Class of 2012 officers have collected nearly $1200 worth of giveaways, which include gift certificates, Nationals tickets, a Michael Kors tote and AHS Prom tickets. Because of the “low involvement” she noticed at the last student-faculty game, Dunning hopes that these prizes will serve to increase attendance and draw students to the event.

Dunning also hopes to “get other kids who aren’t playing in the game involved” through three halftime contests, which will include a three-point shootout, a half court shot contest and a skills challenge. Students may sign up for these events today and tomorrow at all lunches, where they will also be able to purchase tickets for $5.

“Everyone at AHS should attend the event not only to support the senior class, but also to cheer on the student and faculty who put in long practice hours to represent their team,” Janwatin said.

Each team has held two practices, and both will practice again today in preparation for the event, which Janwatin and Dunning each expect to be a success.

“I feel confident that this student vs. faculty basketball game will be successful because we have put a lot of effort into advertising and asking other local businesses to help us out, so we don’t want to disappoint anyone,” Janwatin said.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Dunning added. “The kids doing it are great and the faculty has been very excited.”