Thanks to a massive effort by North East ISD students, 150 teddy bears are going to kids at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.
Recently, eighth-grade girls from every NEISD middle school basketball team competed in a basketball tournament.
But the players were especially excited about the halftime show because nearly everyone in attendance bought a new bear and tossed it onto the court.
MacArthur High School graduate Gina Monaco came up with the idea.
Since she graduated a few years ago, she’s led the charge in serving her community through sports.
She created Trinity Buddies while at Trinity University and rallied every sports team at the university to raise money for homeless families in NEISD.
“Giving back to NEISD was a bit of a no-brainer for me because I’ve been in these kiddos' shoes and made some great memories during my time at school, and now with my platform and resources, I hope to do the same for any NEISD student!”
Trinity Buddies has now grown to San Antonio Buddies but still focuses on NEISD and encouraging young people to make a difference in their community.
So, Gina worked with Nimitz Middle School Assistant Athletics Coordinator Jennifer Hall and Eisenhower Middle School Assistant Athletics Director Jamie Grams to get the donation drive included in the end-of-season tournament.
“It was so cool because the players knew they were making a difference for kids. They were so excited to give back to kids in the hospital,” said Hall. “Being an athlete requires more than competing on a court, and I am proud of the way my team really values and jumps in with two feet when it comes to serving others.”
All NEISD athletes learn valuable lessons on and off the court #theNEISDway.
To learn more about San Antonio Buddies, follow them on Twitter @BuddiesTrinity
