Guest post from Dad

On Thursday, 1/31/13, I had quite and experience with the kids. Their after school program is called CASA.  Every year right before the NFL Super Bowl, CASA helps the kids put on a CASA Super Bowl. They assign 5th graders as team captains and play a football game in the school gym. The kids that don't play do other things like cheerleading, making posters, bringing snacks, make noise makers, put on a halftime show, etc. It's big fun. Parents are invited to watch but it starts at 3 p.m. so this year there was only about 6 parents there for the 40 some odd kids that are in CASA. This was the first time in 5 years that I could attend. It was inspiring to me to see all these elementary school kids participating in different portions of the game with minimal adult control. The teams played good football, scorekeepers did "mostly" good, etc. But it was clearly a kids run event. Kudos to the CASA teachers.

Anyway, Reed (4th grade) played football and did wonderful. He played as a good teammate and leader. He played defense, offense (QB and receiver). He showed great sportsmanship and hustle. He was encouraging players, laughing, high-fiving and having a ball. He threw 2 TD passes and caught 1 TD pass. All the while just having fun.

Amy, (2nd grade) however, I think stole the show. Through the whole game she was watching, cheering, playing with friends, "sneaking" out of the gym and generally have a great time. She dancing the cotton eye joe and macarana during halftime. She was one of four kids to hold he signs that the team ran through at the beginning of the game then she hustled to the stage to sing the National Anthem as a complete solo, using a microphone on stage in front of a gym full of her peers and adults. Her teachers said she was the only kid who volunteered to sing. All eyes were on her and she nailed it. She was loud, clear, confident and simply breathtaking.

Then I sat with Amy while we ate pizza after. I couldn't be more proud of our kids.