BLACKSBURG – Coming off its win over Richmond and entering the bye week, Virginia Tech football stayed busy Monday morning when players volunteered at Margaret Beeks Elementary School.
"Any time I get the opportunity to come and give back to the kids, I always want to do it," offensive lineman and team captain Tyrell Smith said. "I love giving back to the kids and putting a smile on their face because, the way I look at it, they're the future. Showing them that they can look up to us and go through different things in college and in life, I think it's a good thing to do."
Smith and his teammates volunteered at Margaret Beeks Elementary's Book Buffet, where students could select a book to read and take it to breakfast. Virginia Tech players assisted the students in choosing a book, sharing which books they liked to read as a kid with the hope to inspire the younger generation to continue to read.
"It's not what I expected from the big, bad football players to come up here and be so amazing with the kids," Margaret Beeks Elementary School Principal Dr. Beth Poff said. "They're really invested in taking time to talk to the kids, I've seen them read books to the kids before. For the kids to actually be able to interact with them and see that they're real people and they love books too is amazing."
The team greeted the students as they arrived at school, handing out high fives and taking them to select a book. After each student had a book, Hokies players escorted them to breakfast and their classrooms.
"It just brings back so many memories for me from when I was a kid, walking these halls," offensive lineman Lecitus Smith said. "I just wish I had older college players show up to my school, that would have been very inspiring to me as a young kid, and I know we inspired some young kids in here today."
On the team's off-day during its bye week, Tech had over 10 players volunteer to participate at 8:30 a.m. and serve as role models for the elementary students, embodying Virginia Tech's motto of "Ut Prosim" (That I may serve).
"To really show these kids how important it is to stay in school, you can't get anything better than that," defensive lineman Josh Fuga said. "We always do our best to try to find a way to give back to the youth and that's something special."
Gallery: (9-27-2021) FB: Elementary School Visit