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Showing that their contribution to football can be extended beyond the field, a trio of Cerritos College football players attended Hopkinson Elementary School in Los Alamitos on Friday as part of their Community Involvement Project. Sophomore captains Jacob Gasser (who attended the school as a child), Isaiah Bravo and Tishawn Barnaby met with third, fourth and fifth grade students to share their experiences while in elementary school, while also taking time to read to the kids. The community involvement project is intended for the student-athletes to give back and inspire the local community with a reading program at local elementary schools.
"Our student-athletes are learning about selflessness by spending time and experiences with a focus on the importance of education," stated head coach Dean Grosfeld, who created the program in his first year at the helm. "This is also an opportunity for our community to witness the many positive attributes that our student-athletes posses as they work hard on and off the field to better their future."
On Friday, the trio of Falcon players visited the elementary school to spend time with third, fourth and fifth graders. They expressed the importance of paying attention in school and studying, while also balancing their time with extra curricular activities. The three players also spent time with the kids outside during recess and showed them how they prepare for practice each day with their stretching regimen, with an emphasis in helping to avoid injuries.
"Thank you to Mrs. Evelyn Garcia, Hopkinson Elementary School Principle, for helping with this endeavor," added Grosfeld. "In the coming weeks, our athletes will visit schools in the Downey Unified, ABC Unified, Bellflower Unified and Norwalk/La Mirada Unified school districts, as well as other surrounding school districts. We will be meeting with kids from each area and continuing our reading program with hopes of expanding it and bringing in more of our student-athletes."