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Pittsburgh Pirates visit North Elementary
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North student Josh Blasko (left) watched Pittsburgh Pirates player Neil Walker (right) during his round of “Minute to Win It” where he had to move one blue cup through a large stack of red cups.
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Courtney Thompson (right) played a “Minute to Win It” game where she used the air of a balloon to knock plastic cups off a table. She won her round and a signed Pirates jersey as a prize.
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In the last game of the Pirates show, principal Mike Masucci was blindfolded and told to find three baseballs on stands around the school gym. With half a minute left, Masucci (left) found the second baseball, but was heckled a bit by the Pirate Parrot (right).
By SARAH FOOR
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a special trip to North Elementary on Jan. 27 to celebrate the work the school has done for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
As principal Mike Masucci introduced the guests from Pittsburgh, he explained.
“Our school raised a lot of money that we gave selflessly to Make-A-Wish. The Pirates are here today to thank us for our hard work.”
To celebrate the giving spirit of North, players Neil Walker and Jeff Karstens visited the school, along with Pirates announcer Tim Neverett and goofy mascot the Pirate Parrot. The Pirates presented a talk on setting goals and not fearing mistakes, with video highlights projected on a large screen.
Neverett enjoys his time in the elementary schools.
“This really is the best way to continue and cultivate our team’s relationship with our young fans. It’s all about fun, spreading confidence and keeping a positive outlook.”
After the discussion, Walker, Karstens, and the Pirate Parrot all competed with North students in activities based on the show “Minute to Win It.”
At stake for the students were signed Pirates game jerseys. Students Courtney Thompson, Josh Blasko, and Jordyn Kopp all won their face-offs with the Pirates with flying colors.
To end the presentation, the Pirates offered free tickets to the school if Masucci found three baseballs on stands around the auditorium, while blindfolded.
“No school has ever accomplished this — North might be the first,” Neverett warned.
Although it was a close call with only one second to spare, Masucci won the tickets for his students.