Bucs' King scores big at Cannella Elementary

The quarterback gives students a pep talk and signs autographs at the request of his aunt, who works in the cafeteria and as a teacher's aide.

By KATHERINE GAZELLA

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 3, 2000

CARROLLWOOD -- Shaun King's aunt works with children who sometimes miss two or three days of school each week, kids who look like they're carrying the weight of the world. Kids who need a role model.

So Evelyn Ashwood arranged for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback to speak to children at Cannella Elementary on Tuesday, and she was thrilled with the results.

"Those kids need all the love and support they can get. And they got that this morning," said Ashwood, who works in the cafeteria at Cannella and volunteers as a teacher's aide.

King gave a short speech to the children, in which he encouraged them to stay in school and not to use drugs.

"How many of you want to be successful?" he asked.

Lots of hands flew into the air.

Then he really struck a chord with the students: "How many of you want to be rich?"

Hundreds of arms reached for the ceiling, and children eagerly shouted, "Me! Me! I want to be rich!"

To be rich and successful, he said, you have to stay in school. He said he has friends who didn't do their best in school, and now they regret it.

"You don't ever want to look back and think of yourself like that," he said.

After speaking, he signed hundreds of autographs for the children. Many of the children wore King's No. 10 Bucs' jersey, and students of all ages were able to recite details about him.

Alexis Butler, 7, won an essay contest among first graders and sat on the stage while King spoke. Her eyes grew wide when she talked about him.

"I know his number is No. 10," she said. "And I know he's a quarterbacker."

Second-grader Allen Sampson said he wanted to be a professional football player. In his essay about staying in school, he wrote, "It is important to stay in school, because if you want to play football, you have to be smart and graduate too."

Fourth-grader Carlos Giron won the essay contest for his grade. He was thrilled at the opportunity to meet King.

"When I first got picked, I was about to faint," he said.

- Katherine Gazella can be reached at 226-3472 or gazella@sptimes.com.

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