Grand Junction, CO – Appleton Elementary School students are tipping off the school year with a visit from some local star athletes.
Colorado Mesa University’s Women’s and Men’s Basketball teams and their coaches, Taylor Wagner and Mike DeGeorge respectively, are coming to the school for an outdoor assembly at 9 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. Wagner said his team looks forward to opportunities like this one to engage with some of the youngest members of the Grand Junction community.
“We know how important it is for young kids to have good role models. I hope moments like this inspire these kids to go after their dreams, and to know anything is possible with great effort and a positive attitude,” said Coach Wagner.
“Our student-athletes are students first. We hope by showing up and setting a good example that the kids of Appleton Elementary will know what happens in the classroom matters, and that if they want to pursue a sport later on in life, that they’ll have to work hard both on and off the court,” said DeGeorge.
Appleton Elementary School Principal Corey Hafey said his students look forward to assemblies with CMU student-athletes and admire their success on the court and in the classroom.
"Appleton students love to connect with CMU student-athletes and look up to them. When a CMU Maverick says that our Appleton mantra of ‘Respect and Effort’ is important to team and individual success, it really resonates with our young Appleton Bookworms. I think the CMU athletes also gain a sense for how their words and actions influence young people and can use that influence to inspire others," Hafey said.