April fools: Seabreeze football team play Turie T. Small elementary students

The elementary students played a surprise opponent in a friendly basketball game at their FSA rally on Friday, April 1.

  • By Michele Meyers
  • | 1:30 p.m. April 6, 2022
  • Ormond Beach Observer
  • Sports
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Turie T. Small Elementary School in Daytona Beach was bustling with excitement Friday, April 1. It was the day of the FSA rally and the students had been practicing their basketball skills for the past two weeks in preparation to play against their teachers.

Music teacher Vernell Spar got the kids on their feet and excited for the game.

“I want the kids to have fun,” she said. “We’ve got to encourage them. If this is what we’ve got to do, then we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.”

As they cheered from the sidelines, principal Melani Johnson took the microphone and announced the arrival of some special guests — the Seabreeze Sandcrabs football team’s upper classmen.

“April Fools,” she said. “This is the team you will be playing.”

“It helps our students understand that we care for them. We love them. We want to inspire them to be their very best. People dedicate a lot of time to show the world that these children are important and not to forget the people in this neighborhood.”

Melani Johnson, Turie T. Small Elementary principal

Coach Shaunia Jackson, Johnson’s intervention teacher, reached out to Seabreeze’s head coach, Pat Brown, who was interested in participating. It was the perfect opportunity for his players to give back to the community and set an example for younger children. As long as the players had a 3.0 GPA or higher, they could attend the event.

Johnson’s brother-in-law is Seabreeze principal Earl Johnson. Her tenure as principal at the elementary school began in 2019 when the position became available. She had left in 2015 to pursue administration positions in preparation to be a principal. She took the offer and returned to the school, where her teaching career began in 2002 following a move from her hometown of Miami.

“I said yes,” she said. “It was just like coming home. This is just the right speed for me right here in Daytona.”

In preparation for the Florida Standards Assessments, Johnson organized the rally to bolster her students’ confidence and offer a fun activity prior to buckling down for testing. There were popsicles, Brandon Daniel volunteered to be DJ for the event and special t-shirts were printed with the quote, “It’s test day, you got this!”

“It helps our students understand that we care for them,” she said. “We love them. We want to inspire them to be their very best. People dedicate a lot of time to show the world that these children are important and not to forget the people in this neighborhood.”

 

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