School Zone
Rashean Mathis Visits Henry F. Kite Elementary
 It’s not an every day occurrence in the Duval County
public school system to have a professional football
player visit your school to hand out awards, but on
December 12, students at Henry F. Kite Elementary School
received a visit from Jacksonville Jaguar Corner Back
Rashean Mathis. Mathis traveled to the school to see
the unveiling of a mosaic created in his likeness and to
hand out awards in art achievement. Art teacher, Jason
Tetlak, coordinated the project and the visit.
Tetlak wanted to make an art
lesson in mosaics interactive and interesting for his
students, so he involved the students in choosing the
human subject for the mosaics. One class chose Mathis
as the subject. Even though Mathis won the class vote
in the end, it was an extremely close race between
Mathis and the class’ fifth grade teacher, Jeff Braden.
Though, Braden didn’t mind losing out to Mathis because
he was just as excited as the students when Mathis
visited the school.
At his arrival to Henry Kite,
Mathis went straight to Braden’s fifth grade classroom
to visit with and answer questions from the students.
When asked by one student how it felt to get tackled,
Mathis answered, “It feels good because it means I got
an interception.” He went on to say that he would get
an interception at his next game for the student who
asked him the question.
The fifth grade class then
led Mathis into the school’s auditorium where all
classes (K – 5) gathered for the art awards ceremony.
The mosaic portrait of Mathis, made from 2,500 pieces of
individual pieces of student art work, was framed and on
display in the auditorium. Mathis was impressed with
the portrait. He addressed the students saying, “I
started out like you guys…learning the fundamentals.
You guys are the future. It all starts some where. It
starts here.”
After Mathis spoke to the
students with inspirational and encouraging words,
Tetlak invited the students to ask Mathis questions.
With each question, Mathis spoke from the heart. One
student asked where he went to school. Another asked
what subject he studied in college. Another student
asked Mathis who his role model was. His reply to this
question was quick and full of sincerity. Mathis said
his role model was his mother who worked hard raised
four children all by herself. He proudly added that
three of the four went to college.
Mathis handed out awards in art achievement to
the students and gave this advice, “whatever you decide
to be in life, strive hard at it, and don’t let anyone
get in the way.” This is a day the students and staff
of Henry Kite Elementary won’t soon forget.
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