Temple University Athletics
Reiter addresses the students with Neely, Davis and Russo
Football Teams with Camden Charter School Network on Mentoring Program
2.24.20 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – The alarm sounds at 6 a.m. Time to get up, you have a full day ahead. As a college football player you need to eat, you need to work out, you need to meet with academic advisors and attend class – and that's just a normal everyday occurrence in the offseason. Throw in the days that you and your teammates decide to watch film or work on football drills, and there's little time for yourself.
No one would blame you if you want to spend time with your friends, be by yourself, or get off your feet.
Instead, you sign up for community service in a very rare three-hour window of down time.
Last Friday, Temple quarterback Anthony Russo and eight teammates headed to Camden, N.J., specifically to the Camden's Charter School Network. Their goal was simple -- spend time with students, encourage, inspire and just be role models to the students.
"I would die when I was their age to be able to have a college football player in my gym class, so being able to come back here to hang out with these kids and put a smile on their faces means the world to me and to our team," said Russo, who signed up for this event for three consecutive weeks. Just the atmosphere and smiles the kids have on their faces, the way they look up to us, it is infectious and puts a smile on my face."
The program planning began in late 2019 when Camden's Charter School Network administrators reached out to Temple head coach Rod Carey. Drew Katz, a member of the Temple University Board of Trustees and benefactor to Camden's Charter School Network, promoted this partnership as part of the Rachel & Drew Katz Foundation Community Service Initiative. The program will run throughout the spring semester every Friday at three of the network's schools; Camden's Pride, Promise and Katz Dalsey Academy.
"We want our student-athletes to be leaders on and off the field," said Carey. "We have found that when our football players spend time with the students at Camden Charter School Network, both sides benefit. You can see the growth, bonding, and enjoyment from everyone involved."
"I like this," said Christa Hahn, principal at Camden's Pride Charter School. "It's important for the kids because they feel important that these people are coming in to spend time with them."
On this day Russo was joined by Re'Mahn Davis and Onasis Neely for a game that focused on elements of football, which include strategy, teamwork and respect. In another classroom, Mike Mitchell, Kaleb Prejean, and Kadas Reams joined middle school students in a game of whiffle ball. And Branden Mack, David Martin-Robinson and Nick Picozzi engaged in a friendly game of kickball with students.
"It's a great partnership between the Temple football players and our school because we share similar things in terms of teamwork, respect, character," said Brian Reiter, a physical education teacher at Promise Charter School. "And also for the Temple guys, as college athletes, you're a role model. Yes, you're a student, an athlete, but you're a role model too."
Students learned how it all connects to their lives in school as well as how they'll need to use those skills as adults. In Reiter's classroom there is a board that was often referred to:
Our RESPECT Agreement
Be kind
Show sportsmanship
Help each other get better
Take care of/clean up equipment
Use your words to solve problems
"It's good to have mentors who played the sport that we all love and we watched growing up to come in and just speak to you," said Davis.
Hahn said the interaction is a good tool to help kids realize they can accomplish anything beyond high school. "College is a possibility. Work hard every single day. Involve that respect in your life and it can happen for anybody," Hahn said.
"College seems so far away and possibly impossible for many our students," said Bill Helmbrecht, Camden's Promise Charter School co-founder, "Having the Temple players on our campus, interacting so easily and effectively with our students, it makes the opportunity to go to college both relatable and achievable."
Camden's Charter School Network is the largest network of charter schools in the city of Camden, as well as home to the second oldest charters in Camden. Incorporated in 2011, the network consists of four schools: Katz Dalsey Academy, Camden's Pride, Camden's Promise and Camden Academy High. In 2016, 2014 and 2010, U.S. News and World Report awarded Camden Academy Charter High School the bronze medal as part of its Best High School Rankings.
No one would blame you if you want to spend time with your friends, be by yourself, or get off your feet.
Instead, you sign up for community service in a very rare three-hour window of down time.
Last Friday, Temple quarterback Anthony Russo and eight teammates headed to Camden, N.J., specifically to the Camden's Charter School Network. Their goal was simple -- spend time with students, encourage, inspire and just be role models to the students.
"I would die when I was their age to be able to have a college football player in my gym class, so being able to come back here to hang out with these kids and put a smile on their faces means the world to me and to our team," said Russo, who signed up for this event for three consecutive weeks. Just the atmosphere and smiles the kids have on their faces, the way they look up to us, it is infectious and puts a smile on my face."
The program planning began in late 2019 when Camden's Charter School Network administrators reached out to Temple head coach Rod Carey. Drew Katz, a member of the Temple University Board of Trustees and benefactor to Camden's Charter School Network, promoted this partnership as part of the Rachel & Drew Katz Foundation Community Service Initiative. The program will run throughout the spring semester every Friday at three of the network's schools; Camden's Pride, Promise and Katz Dalsey Academy.
"We want our student-athletes to be leaders on and off the field," said Carey. "We have found that when our football players spend time with the students at Camden Charter School Network, both sides benefit. You can see the growth, bonding, and enjoyment from everyone involved."
"I like this," said Christa Hahn, principal at Camden's Pride Charter School. "It's important for the kids because they feel important that these people are coming in to spend time with them."
On this day Russo was joined by Re'Mahn Davis and Onasis Neely for a game that focused on elements of football, which include strategy, teamwork and respect. In another classroom, Mike Mitchell, Kaleb Prejean, and Kadas Reams joined middle school students in a game of whiffle ball. And Branden Mack, David Martin-Robinson and Nick Picozzi engaged in a friendly game of kickball with students.
"It's a great partnership between the Temple football players and our school because we share similar things in terms of teamwork, respect, character," said Brian Reiter, a physical education teacher at Promise Charter School. "And also for the Temple guys, as college athletes, you're a role model. Yes, you're a student, an athlete, but you're a role model too."
Students learned how it all connects to their lives in school as well as how they'll need to use those skills as adults. In Reiter's classroom there is a board that was often referred to:
Our RESPECT Agreement
Be kind
Show sportsmanship
Help each other get better
Take care of/clean up equipment
Use your words to solve problems
"It's good to have mentors who played the sport that we all love and we watched growing up to come in and just speak to you," said Davis.
Hahn said the interaction is a good tool to help kids realize they can accomplish anything beyond high school. "College is a possibility. Work hard every single day. Involve that respect in your life and it can happen for anybody," Hahn said.
"College seems so far away and possibly impossible for many our students," said Bill Helmbrecht, Camden's Promise Charter School co-founder, "Having the Temple players on our campus, interacting so easily and effectively with our students, it makes the opportunity to go to college both relatable and achievable."
Camden's Charter School Network is the largest network of charter schools in the city of Camden, as well as home to the second oldest charters in Camden. Incorporated in 2011, the network consists of four schools: Katz Dalsey Academy, Camden's Pride, Camden's Promise and Camden Academy High. In 2016, 2014 and 2010, U.S. News and World Report awarded Camden Academy Charter High School the bronze medal as part of its Best High School Rankings.
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