Hometown Heroes Have Our Hearts

This is better than Christmas!

That's what I heard as our students came through the

Hometown Heroes' Victory Tunnel this morning.

And while it's really hard to beat Christmas in my world, I would have to agree that our annual Red Ribbon Character Pep Rally is, indeed, a special event.

They took our Character Pledge.

Friendswood High School teens woke up extra early to get to our gym; some of the basketball players were there when our doors opened. These role models signed autographs, posed for pictures, and gave out hugs, high fives, and red drug-free wristbands while we were waiting for school to start.

Then the band started to play and the cheerleaders cheered, the Wranglerettes danced, and leaders shared their words of wisdom with us. Jordan, a football player who recently also played the Tin Man in the fall production of The Wizard of Oz, told the students that it was cool to be kind and then asked them why? He handed to mic over to his adoring fans - brilliant! - and got answers like, "Because it feels good inside!" and "Because it fills buckets." Two additional students told him that "We should treat others the way we want to be treated." and "Because you don't want to be in trouble." Yep, choices have consequences.