Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

 12/04/01

NEWS RELEASE
Through First and Goal Program Students Attend Special Luncheon
with Seahawks Football Players

On Tuesday, November 27, 34 Auburn fifth grade students from Dick Scobee and Pioneer Elementary Schools attended a special luncheon with Seahawks football players in the Safeco Exhibition Hall in Seattle.   The luncheon was to honor the students’ accomplishment of successfully completing the Communities In Schools of Washington State’s First and Goal Program.  The program began in September with students, working with teachers and counselors, setting goals for themselves to improve academic performance, behavior and attendance. Each week, for the following six weeks, they tracked their progress in reaching their goals. Those students making satisfactory progress at the end of the six weeks were invited to the luncheon where the featured speaker was Seahawks’ running back, Shaun Alexander.  Mr.Alexander talked about the importance of setting and completing goals to his football career. He emphasized the importance of "finishing the race."

After the completing the program, Pioneer fifth grader, Bailey Stober said, "I learned that  in life, if you set goals, there is nothing you can't achieve." Dick Scobee teacher, Rick Mazzaferro, stated the program helped his students become more focused in class.

Communities In Schools of Auburn, a nonprofit association dedicated to providing resources to enhance, ensure and promote the education of Auburn School District students, brought the program to Auburn schools and hopes to make the special Safeco luncheon with the Seahawks an annual event. State-wide sponsors for the First and Goal program include the Seahawks, Costco Wholesale, United Airlines, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Capital One, The Bon Marche, and KJR Sports Radio.

For more information, contact Arlene Pierini, Communities In Schools coordinator, at (253) 931-0539.