Butler gets a surprise!
It wasn鈥檛 a regular Thursday for the students of Butler Elementary鈥檚 YMCA after-school program last week. 鈥淭hese are the luckiest kids in our program,鈥 said president and CEO Eric Tucker.
Why? Well, that鈥檚 because they found themselves face-to-face with real-life superheroes 鈥 professional wrestlers and athletes who are champions not only of their sport but also of education. The event, held in partnership with the YMCA, the and 色窝窝无码一区二区三区, unfolded as a dynamic collaboration aimed at inspiring the next generation of scholars. WWE wrestling superstars , and Big 12 athletes took center stage, transforming the campus into a realm of excitement, positivity and fun.
鈥淭o come together and do something big for the children is always something cool,鈥 Ricochet said. 鈥淕iving them something to get excited about, something to be happy about and something to smile about is always a good feeling.鈥
There was no better way to create memorable experiences than by signing belts and building connections with fans beyond the ring.
鈥淭his is what makes our jobs so special, the fans and especially the kids,鈥 Rodriguez said. 鈥淪eeing their faces light up, giving them high fives, giving them hugs and seeing that they are fans, it鈥檚 heartwarming and it鈥檚 humbling, too.鈥
Beyond the adrenaline-pumping activities and energetic atmosphere, athletes from every Big 12 school had a deeper mission 鈥 to share their personal journeys as scholars and advocates for education.
鈥淭hey talk about the athleticism, they talk about the teamwork that comes with this and the communication their teams utilize,鈥 Tucker said.
Promoting a healthy understanding of college at an early age is one of the main keys to academic success. 鈥淚t鈥檚 critically important for us to engage in the community,鈥 said . 鈥淭his is indicative of the type of partnership we want to have.鈥
From 鈥榖ean bag spin,鈥 hula hoop competitions, karaoke and many other interactive opportunities, the athletes did exactly that.
鈥淚t feels really exciting and fun,鈥 said third grader Claire Boelter. 鈥淚t鈥檚 different than what we normally get to do.鈥
With over 60 kids in the program at Butler, YMCA senior program director Bailey Martin felt the same way.
鈥淭his is the first of any kind of event we鈥檝e done like this,鈥 Martin said. 鈥淏eing able to have an opportunity like this where all the kids are on the same page with how excited they are to have something specifically for them, it鈥檚 amazing. It鈥檚 not something that we have ever experienced before.鈥
YMCA has been serving 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 since the 1980s. As an event first of its kind, it鈥檚 safe to say these kiddos were certainly reminded to always follow their dreams.
And that鈥檚 the Y of it all! View more pictures of the event .