Wildcats in the Community

Receiving a message like the one below makes it all worth it when you hear of stories like this one.

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I wanted to take a moment to thank you and your organization for setting up such a wonderful opportunity with the Wildcats in local schools, as well as extend a huge thank you to the players for the time they spent visiting our classroom over the past several months.

We were very lucky to have Ryan Fletcher, Victor Proulx, Sam Hope, Arnaud Lucier, and Louis-Carl Tremblay visiting our class regularly, as well as Jack Flanagan early on, who were all exceptional with the kids.

I used this opportunity to connect with and reach the students who don’t always love school, they struggle with certain academic aspects and, to be quite honest, the boys in my class who would much rather be outside and will tell you their favorite part of school is gym or recess. I paired these students up with the players, and what began as a simple classroom project quickly became something much more meaningful.

Several students had the opportunity to interview these players and write biographies about them, but the experience became far more than just a writing assignment. Students who often feel unsure of themselves in reading and writing found pride and confidence in their work. I have a favorite quote that shapes my teaching: “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” These kids felt that from your players, and because of that, writing about them became very important. To a group of 8–10-year-olds, it was huge.

I am so appreciative of the work these players did while in our classroom. They were wonderful with the kids, always willing to jump in and help with whatever I asked, and they formed genuine connections with the students. The boys in my class in particular really looked up to them, and the confidence they gained through this experience was something special to watch.

Their impact extended beyond the classroom as well. Many students started showing up to home games to cheer them on, and those games quickly became a topic of conversation when we returned to school. It created a connection between our classroom, your team, and the community that made the experience even more meaningful for the kids.

Tuesdays quickly became something the students looked forward to all week. In fact, we had several storm days that happened to fall on Tuesdays, and the disappointment when the kids missed their “Wildcats time” was very real.

I also want to share this from a personal perspective. I have the unique privilege of teaching my own son, Hunter. He is the most kind-hearted, sports loving, farm kid. Sports come very naturally to him, while reading and writing have been quite challenging. Previous teachers would tell me that he’d sit in class with his hood up, wishing he could be anywhere else. I was excited to have him in my class this year. I thought maybe having mom as his teacher would be a highlight for him, but then five young men from your team walked into our classroom and very quickly stole my spotlight. They will, hands down, be the highlight of his year. It’s a trade-off I’m more than happy to make to see his confidence at school grow.

In all seriousness, he talks about them often and was always wanting to get to as many home games as possible. We spent a lot of time in arenas this winter, sometimes for his own games and sometimes just to watch the players he now proudly calls his “buddies.” In fact, when he heard Fletch was playing for the Mooseheads last weekend, a trip to the city for a guys’ night with his dad was quickly arranged. We had a few students do the 7th Player, Hunter included. His autographed mini sticks are very important to him, thrown into his gear bag and brought to his own games for good luck. To him and the other kids in my class, these players are superstars. They think it’s the coolest thing in the world that they actually got to know them. Seeing the excitement from a child’s perspective has made it even clearer just how impactful this experience has been. That kind of admiration from a group of young kids speaks volumes about the type of young men you have representing your organization.

As a teacher, I can tell you that working with members of your team is something these kids will remember for a very long time.

And as a mom, I want you to know that while it may have felt like a small thing to sit in my classroom once a week, the impact is far bigger than you can imagine. I am incredibly grateful.

We had the chance to say our goodbyes and thank yous today, but I wanted to reach out to the organization as well to make sure you know how much this meant to our class. Please pass along my sincere gratitude to the players for giving their time, their patience, and their encouragement. They truly made a difference in our classroom, and especially to my boy, who will, without a doubt, ask me before practice tonight which one of the guys he should tape his stick like.

Thank you for providing such a wonderful opportunity for our students, my son, and our community.

Sincerely,

Megan Shepherd

(Mrs. Shepherd)