Steph, Warriors Invite Viral Teacher to Game, Meet and Greet
Teachers are undeniably some of the most important people in the lives of children. The difference between a good teacher and a bad teacher is very noticeable: One inspires kids to a life-long love of learning, and the other closes what should be open minds. So when a teacher does something special for their students, it stands out.
That was the case with Kathleen Fitzpatrick, a 3rd grade teacher in Washington D.C. who inspired a little joy out of her students earlier this month. Ms. Fitz, as the kids call her, promised her class hot chocolate at the start of next week if she could make a half-court shot on the playground.
The shot itself is pretty impressive, but the reaction from the students it what really makes the video so important to watch. It looks like they all just woke up on Christmas morning and had more presents under the tree than they could count. Such a simple joy in life like getting a nice cup of hot chocolate is significantly underrated, and that’s the kind of simplicity kids are taught to appreciate in life when a good teacher is at the head of their classroom.
Fitzpatrick seemed pretty confident in her ability to win that hot chocolate, and the shot was a clean look. It makes sense, of course, when you add that she played Division I basketball for Rutgers not too long ago. She cited in an interview with ESPN that basketball had always been a big part of her life.
The shot garnered so much attention that senior VP of communications Raymond Ridder of the Golden State Warriors went to Twitter to affirm that Steph Curry and the Dubs have invited her to their game against the Washington Wizards in D.C. in late March, as well as a post-game meet and great with Curry.
Curry has always been a proponent of women’s hoops, and something as simple as using your love for the game to spread joy to others is something he would certainly appreciate. A simple gesture like this from Steph and the Warriors can inspire a teacher to keep doing what they do for the sake of the kids they teach.
(Photo credit: Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images)