A few weeks back, students at the "New" Schmid Elementary School in Chicago won their school's "college week" with their presentation of Auburn University and its histories, traditions, etc. You can view their complete presentation below.
Their presentation captured the hearts and minds of many within the Auburn Family. I do find it funny that they changed the fight song a bit. I've always heard the "kid friendly" version as "hit 'em high, hit 'em low, stand up and yell," but this works, too. The official site reported on the event along with numerous other news outlets in Alabama and around the nation.
The class is taught by Quinian Matthews, who married into a multi-generational Auburn family. The school - according to another blurb on the official site - is a Title I school and the overwhelming majority of its students are below the poverty line.
Just how much of an effect did their presentation have? Those young students brought Auburn University to their fellow schoolmates, and today Auburn University went to them itself. Below is the story in tweets from various people at Auburn:
We'll tweet some fun from Chicago today as we meet some special kids from @TheNewSchmid! Remember them? https://t.co/sjROPcFPNz #WarEagle
— Auburn University (@AuburnU) July 9, 2015
Off to Chicago with @jayjacobsauad and @AuburnTigers Athletics to visit these very special kids! War Eagle!!https://t.co/3ujchyzshA
— Aubie the Tiger (@AubietheTiger01) July 9, 2015
The Auburn Family was blown away by the kids from Schmid, so we wanted to say thank you.
— Jay Jacobs (@jayjacobsauad) July 9, 2015
We’ll also be bringing some special guests, making memories and forging new friendships. #NewSchmidElementary
— Jay Jacobs (@jayjacobsauad) July 9, 2015
Schmid is a terrific, innovative school in Chicago. They put students on a path to greatness, and @AuburnU wants to help them.
— Jay Jacobs (@jayjacobsauad) July 9, 2015
On the ground. Can’t wait to get to Schmid. Our special guests are going to make their day! And who knows…we might have a surprise in store!
— Jay Jacobs (@jayjacobsauad) July 9, 2015
Great #Schmid welcome for the @AuburnU group #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/8ptrrxR33t
— Brian Keeter (@Bckeeter) July 9, 2015
#Schmid Principal Ms. Black and @jayjacobsauad talking about this amazing school in #Chicago pic.twitter.com/koN4AMeitd
— Brian Keeter (@Bckeeter) July 9, 2015
#BoJackson joins the students at #Schmid #WarEagle @AuburnU pic.twitter.com/ExQaUU2Vej
— Brian Keeter (@Bckeeter) July 9, 2015
New Schmid teacher in tears as she talks about how Auburn Family reacted to their video. About to share some good news with these kids!
— Jay Jacobs (@jayjacobsauad) July 9, 2015
#34 is in the house and these students just went nuts. He just invited them to a White Sox game. #boknowsschmidelementary
— Jay Jacobs (@jayjacobsauad) July 9, 2015
#Aubie, #BoJackson and @jayjacobsauad with students at #Schmid. pic.twitter.com/3FpA9sQGZJ
— Brian Keeter (@Bckeeter) July 9, 2015
We shared our favorite facts about @TheNewSchmid with their students: http://t.co/PzvPygBTxP #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/rU052MS5fN
— Auburn University (@AuburnU) July 9, 2015
Great fun inviting New Schmid scholars to Auburn. They'll visit campus and take in game at JHS as our special guests! pic.twitter.com/AaZGtBYhec
— Jay Jacobs (@jayjacobsauad) July 9, 2015
Surprise! We're bringing @TheNewSchmid students to campus to learn more about us and to take in a football game! https://t.co/zNlMdX9cJ0
— Auburn University (@AuburnU) July 9, 2015
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That moment when you realize you're going on a field trip to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Auburn?src=hash">#Auburn</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNewSchmid">@TheNewSchmid</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WarEagle?src=hash">#WarEagle</a> <a href="http://t.co/RvvkHDaPYr">pic.twitter.com/RvvkHDaPYr</a></p>— Auburn Tigers (@AuburnTigers) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuburnTigers/status/619223916763086848">July 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A lot of big smiles and dropped jaws at New Schmid. What a blessing to be part of something that touched some lives. <a href="http://t.co/wbSQlTdoSv">pic.twitter.com/wbSQlTdoSv</a></p>— Jay Jacobs (@jayjacobsauad) <a href="https://twitter.com/jayjacobsauad/status/619226865203593216">July 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thanks for welcoming us to Chicago <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNewSchmid">@TheNewSchmid</a>, see you on game day! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WarSchmidEagle?src=hash">#WarSchmidEagle</a> <a href="http://t.co/6qT5VO5CHj">pic.twitter.com/6qT5VO5CHj</a></p>— AuburnPix (@AuburnPix) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuburnPix/status/619229889531674626">July 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/AubietheTiger01">@AubietheTiger01</a> was a big hit not only with <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNewSchmid">@TheNewSchmid</a> scholars, but also the principal and teachers! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WarEagle?src=hash">#WarEagle</a> <a href="http://t.co/rJrR6HNHq5">pic.twitter.com/rJrR6HNHq5</a></p>— Auburn University (@AuburnU) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuburnU/status/619230731370369024">July 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After a quick trip to Chicago with <a href="https://twitter.com/jayjacobsauad">@jayjacobsauad</a>, I am heading back to welcome <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AU19?src=hash">#AU19</a> to the AU family with <a href="https://twitter.com/AUCampWarEagle">@AUCampWarEagle</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllInADaysWork?src=hash">#AllInADaysWork</a></p>— Aubie the Tiger (@AubietheTiger01) <a href="https://twitter.com/AubietheTiger01/status/619228238120923136">July 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ok, talk about awesome (or AUsome). Auburn is going to bring this entire class down to Auburn to visit the campus and go to a game? That's an experience those kids will never forget and a really classy gesture by the school and Jay Jacobs.
A lot of memories were made today in Chicago, and I'm sure a lot of new Auburn fans were created. What a great story it will be if some of these kids end up students on the Plains.
War Eagle! Always!