Center Line Preparatory Academy and Great Oaks Academy were each awarded $5,000 from the Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® Mission Tiger program to provide athletic opportunities for students. The donations were made possible thanks to the partnership of WK Kellogg Co. and Meijer.
Center Line Prep teacher Cyerra Byse and Great Oaks teacher Amy Riesterer learned of the opportunity through their connections with DonorsChoose, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting schools with donors.
Great Oaks teacher Amy Riesterer learned of the opportunity through DonorsChoose, and the school was selected for a donation.
Representatives from both schools were at Ford Field for a celebration, and students even got to meet a Detroit Lions player. After being honored with enormous checks, students and school leaders got to meet with running back Craig Reynolds. He shared that having access to athletics in middle school helped him continue playing football. Byse said students were in disbelief of the experience.
“We got to see the set up for Ford Field and were on the inside,” Byse said. “A lot of the students we brought have never even been to a football game. They were happy to be downtown and experience it. They also saw some behind the scenes of headquarters and they liked it.”
Reynolds and his friend Tony the Tiger signed autographs and took photos with students, making for a night to remember.
Students and representatives from Center Line Preparatory Academy receive a $5,000 donation from Mission Tiger, the WK Kellogg Co., and Meijer.
The impact goes far beyond a day of celebration, though. The $5,000 donations will go directly to each school’s athletics programs with Center Line investing in pads for their football team, which will be in its second year this fall. The school also plans to add a soccer team and use funds for volleyball and basketball equipment.
The money will also go to ensuring students have enough equipment for gym class and other athletic activities. Byse said there were times the school didn’t have enough basketballs for both teams to warm up before games.
“Having that surplus of supplies is something that we truly need,” Byse said. “Having that access is a blessing for our students. I know how much we have for athletics and how much we really need, and it’s a sigh of relief not having to worry about where the money is going to come from.”
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (left), Center Line student-athlete Aamir’ Davis (middle), and Frosted Flakes mascot Tony the Tiger pose at the Mission Tiger event.
Check out a school near you!
About Great Oaks Academy
Great Oaks Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Warren, 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 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
Visit Great Oaks Academy's blog to read more stories like this.