Seattle Seahawks mascot, Blitz, listens as an Adna Elementary student answers a question about healthy eating habits during an assembly at the school on Tuesday afternoon.
Adna Elementary students wear hats resembling the Seahawks logo during an assembly put on by the team on Tuesday afternoon in Adna.
One of the Seattle Seahawk Seagals asks a question to an Adna Elementary student as Blitz, the Seahawks' mascot, puts pressure on her for a right answer during an assembly put on the by team on Tuesday afternoon in Adna.
Seattle Seahawks mascot, Blitz, roams through rows of Adna Elementary students who are eager to answer a question about healthy eating at an assembly at the school on Tuesday afternoon.
Adna Elementary Students reach out to touch Blitz, the Seattle Seahawks mascot, during a Play-60 campaign assembly at the school's gym in Adna on Tuesday afternoon.
Seattle Seahawk mascot, Blitz, runs past Adna Elementary students as he is introduced at an assembly at the school in May 2014.
The students of Adna Elementary School won’t soon forget who visited them Tuesday afternoon.
Perhaps only the Seattle Seahawks mascot, Blitz, could hold an entire school’s rapt attention in the manner he did as Adna Elementary held a special assembly Tuesday. After all, he’s the mascot for the most recent Super Bowl winner.
Blitz and Sea Gal Tamaria used the opportunity to extol the virtues of eating healthy and getting enough exercise. Both were joined by representatives from the Dairy Farmers of Washington in not only promoting vigorous activity, but to remind the kids to eat a healthy breakfast to get the energy they need.
For weeks, the school had prepared for the special visit as if the Super Bowl were Tuesday. Most, if not all, students and staff present had some form of Seahawks gear on.
“Our PTO president made shirts for the staff, the kids made Seahawks hats and they’re all wearing their gear,” principal Lisa Dallas said. “The kids have been really excited about this for quite awhile.”
It might be safe to say the 12th Man’s noise level has competition from the Adna Elementary students, as the students’ excitement was made audible through loud screams and shrieks of excitement when Blitz and Tamaria entered the gymnasium. Through the presentation, which featured a video from Seahawks center and former Oregon Duck Max Unger, kids clamored to be selected to answer questions on nutrition and exercise by none other than Blitz himself.
The assembly was part of the Fuel Up to Play60 campaign by the National Football League, an initiative that aims to teach students the importance of one hour per day of physical activity, as well as eating a nutritious breakfast to “fuel up” for exercise.
Physical education teacher Nancy Scheuber had applied for a fitness grant for Adna Elementary, upon which the Dairy Farmers of Washington and the NFL Play60 program donated $4,000 to the school. Adna was picked out of a list of grant winners to host Blitz a few weeks before — but let’s just say a certain time commitment backed that visit up all the way to Tuesday.
“We found out we won, and the Seahawks kept winning too, all the way through the Super Bowl,” Scheuber said.
Scheuber has found entertaining ways for her students to stay healthy and active through her physical education class, the most recent of which included students competing in events similar to the Winter Olympics in February, with groups of students representing participating nations. Through the Play60 program, she hopes to get the students to exercise the equivalent of 10 miles per week.
“It’s really all about getting the kids to be consistently active,” Scheuber said.
•••
Christopher Brewer: (360) 807-8235 / Twitter: @iamchrisbrewer
