Members of the Connetquot High School Athletes Helping Athletes Club promoted positivity, perseverance and resiliency during a recent visit with fifth grade students at Cherokee Street Elementary School.

“Athletes Helping Athletes had their introductory visit for the 2019-20 school year,” said Alaina Bennett, who advises the AHA with high school guidance counselor Philip Clark. “The visit to the fifth grade classrooms provided an opportunity for the Cherokee students to feel comfortable with their new high school friends.” 

During the event, the high school athletes shared personal stories about the importance of becoming involved in extracurricular activities such as music, band, various clubs and sports, and the valuable life lessons they learned by doing so. Each of the visitors talked about how they learned to believe in themselves and continued to work to reach their goals.

The athletes will be meeting with elementary students throughout the year. Their next visit, scheduled for January, will cover the important topic of bullying, sportsmanship and civility. Each visit will be focused on promoting confidence, inspiring leadership and delivering value-based messages. 

The Connetquot High School Athletes Helping Athletes Club is the largest in Nassau and Suffolk counties. It consists of more than 60 service-minded students who pledge to stay away from alcohol and drugs and to share their experiences with elementary school students. Connetquot’s AHA Club partners with Molloy College, and its advocates/mentors consist of caring professionals, including major league athletes.