AHS students promote football at Willow Elementary

By Stephanie Bertholdo Acorn Staff Writer

MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn GO FOR IT!-Agoura High School Assistant Principal David Jackson, right, holds up fifth-grader Nicholas Lemonnier as he gives Bob Snyder's helmet a hit to test it during a visit by students from Agoura High to promote football games at Willow Elementary School in Agoura Hills on Tuesday.

Agoura High School’s Associated Student Government (ASB) is on a mission to increase attendance at AHS football games.

The student council, under the guidance of assistant principal Dave Jackson, launched a program yesterday at Willow Elementary School to encourage youngsters to attend the high school’s football games.

According to Sammy Averbach, AHS’s commissioner of public relations, 15 students representing the student council, cheerleaders and the football team, visited Willow on Tuesday. Each group wore its signature uniforms and fanned out to every class, from kindergarten to fifth-grade, bearing a present for each student: a free ticket to Agoura High School’s Friday night football game. The student council has coined it "Willow Night" and even went so far as to professionally print each student’s name on their ticket.

Averbach said that all students from Willow Elementary School who attend the game will be invited onto the field to create a tunnel for the football players to run under, or, if the kids are "too short, they will receive high fives from all of the football players" on the field.

ASB members who participated in the booster event included ASB President Elex Michaelson, Jack Morrow, Danny Franceour, ASB Commissioner of Athletics Jordan Rippe, Matt Lahana and Cody Weireter. Participating football players included Ryan Ptaszenski, Ryan Boring, Andy Christopher, Braden Lepisto, Josh Silverman and Bob Snyder. Brenda Carsey, Stephanie Strain and Danielle Friedman, Agoura High School cheerleaders, also attended.

"We want to get little kids excited about football," Averbach said, adding that it was also a great way to "boost revenue for the school."

Jackson appointed seniors Francour and Michaelson to be in charge of the program.

The Chargers will host Buena on Friday night and the kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.