Skyhawks in school

Skyhawks player Ian Wilson takes in a little P.E. during a morning assembly at Centennial Public School.

The ‘Skyhawks in School Program’ for 2007-2008 was formerly introduced Thursday morning during an assembly at Centennial Public School.

The school approached the Skyhawks to see how they could engage the players in their school’s weekly activities, be it to assist in reading to the students, or being a part of regular classroom physical educational activities, as it turns out the players are doing both.

“The Skyhawks school program helps them (Skyhawks) reach out in the community and give back to the community for supporting them as a hockey team,” says Vice Principal Greg Richardson.

“At the same time it allows our students to see some good positive role models and see these hockey players as people and not just hockey players -- people that value education and know that education is important.”

The team agrees that with an enrolment of 270 children, there are a number of benefits in having the Skyhawks players involved with Centennial Public School and that they have committed to 120 hours of classroom time in part to say thank you to the community, as well as demonstrate that they are more than just a Junior A hockey team.

“It just fun for us to just come out here and help these kids with their school work and they give back to us and we give to them ... it’s just an overall good experience I think,” states player Ian Wilson.

Wilson also says that although it’s early days so far the best part of the program is just interacting with the kids.

“ We’ve been in the school’s second grade classes ... it’s a ton of fun getting the kids to read to us and help them with their math, and it feels good to do a little PE which is always fun ... so I think overall the (best thing) interaction with the kids.

Richardson says from the first day that the players were introduced they witnessed a change in their students.
“The Skyhawks come in the kids are talking to them engaging in conversation ... so there is a good positive relationship being built between the players and the students,” he says.

“We have to have these sorts of activities and groups come in to keep the attention of some of our students to make it a positive experience at school and give them something to look forward to on a weekly basis.”

Wilson says that spending the time at the school is good character building for the players as well as the students.

“These kids being young and all kind of brings you back to why you do a lot of things and how you are the way you are and I think it is good to get back to that.”

Richardson says the players are demonstrating what the character education initiative is all about as they’re coming and being good solid community members by spending individual time with the children that need one on one time.

“It’s helping to promote physical activity ... they’re in our Phys Ed classes with our students and engaged actively with our kids,” states Richardson.

“They are displaying themselves as good solid community members that are contributing to the school by being a positive role model and teaching the children how to be respectful, and that it is important to treat other people properly.”