Eastern Michigan University Football Player Visit Created ‘Lasting Memories’

Nineteen members of the Eastern Michigan University Football Team visited East Arbor Charter Academy recently to read stories to students and talk about their college experiences.

The special visit was arranged through a connection Fifth-grade Teacher Christopher Scheffer has with EMU Head Coach Chris Creighton.



“This was our first collaboration with EMU, and we’re excited for many more to come in the future,” Principal Tanesha Newby said. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to build this partnership and for the lasting impression the players left on our students.”
 
The players read a Moral Focus™ story to every classroom in the building. After the reading, they opened the floor for a Q&A session, allowing students to engage and connect on a personal level.



Here are a few of the thoughtful—and fun—questions the students asked:

• How tall are you?
• What is your major?
• What do you love about football?
• How does respect play a role in football?
• Who is your role model?

“Students were truly inspired by the visit,” Newby said. “Excited voices filled the halls with comments like, ‘How exciting!’ and ‘I can’t wait to play at Eastern when I grow up.’ One student proudly shared, ‘I have his autograph!’



“The kids were in awe of the players’ size, and it was especially heartwarming to see our kindergartners standing next to them. The players were truly gentle giants, showing kindness, patience, and encouragement throughout their time with us.”

Newby said she hopes the new relationship with EMU grows after seeing such a positive response from her students.



“The players were humble, gracious, and polite throughout their visit. They spoke thoughtfully about our Moral Focus virtue of respect, and how it directly aligns with football on and off the field. It was amazing to witness the meaningful connections they made with students. The players shared that they equally enjoyed their time in the classrooms, and many stayed after to sign autographs, creating lasting memories for our students.”
About East Arbor Charter Academy
East Arbor Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Ypsilanti, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA^®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.

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