May 21, 2003

Photo Gallery

UCLA football cornerback Joe Hunter along with UCLA soccer players Lindsay Greco and Kendal Billingsley visited a classroom full of anxious 5th graders at Evergreen Ave Elementary School Tuesday morning. The athletes were greeted with welcome signs at the entrance of the classroom, a huge banner made by the students filling the chalkboard area, and the UCLA Fight Song serenading them as they marched into the room. A podium with an official Bruin banner hanging from it stood in front of the quiet students as they awaited Joe, Linsday, and Kendal's arrival.

The students were full of thoughtful and intelligent questions for the athletes as they asked such things like, "What does it take to get into UCLA? Have you ever been injured and how?" and most importantly "Why did you go to UCLA instead of USC?". The kids were extremely attentive as their questions were answered with an overall tone of "You have to work hard and keep working hard to get where you want to go. Don't ever give up on your dreams, because you can achieve them if you believe you can." Joe, Lindsay and Kendal ended the q & a session by teaching the kids the famed UCLA 8-clap.

The whole group then moved outside for some playing time with the football and soccer players. Half of the kids stayed with Kendal and Lindsay as they set up soccer relay races and other soccer games. The other half of the kids went with Joe as he put them into two teams for a game of two-hand touch football. The students weren't quite ready to end the scrimmage session until it was announced that there would be an autograph session to follow. The kids from Evergreen Ave. eagerly waited their turn in line to get all 3 autographs from the UCLA student-athletes before returning to their daily routine.