Graduates tour Florida Panthers’ arena
The Florida Panthers welcomed four recent high school graduates this week for a tour of the hockey team’s home at the BB&T Center in Sunrise.
CEO and President Matt Caldwell previously challenged students Ian Tyrell, Nicholas Matese, Renaldo Flowers, and David Fernandez in a pushup contest during the 23rd annual Salute to Education Scholarship Awards Luncheon earlier this month.
The four graduates were among 112 high school seniors across Miamiand Broward County that were awarded $168,000 in scholarships and laptops. Funded by South Florida Ford and Lincoln dealers, the program has presented more than $3.7 million in scholarships to over 4,300 students between both counties since1994.
“It’s very important to the South Florida Ford dealers because these are the kids that are leading us into the future ,” said Rebecca Klein, program coordinator of the scholarship program. “Any little bit we can do to help out is important to us.”
Caldwell served as the keynote speaker of the luncheon. Itwas during the introduction that his love for motivational pushups was mentioned, an ongoing tradition that is exercised at the team’ s home whenever a season ticket is sold. He decided to share the tradition with the recipients, challenging them to beat him for the chance to win an additional $1,000 scholarship.
Only Flowers, a graduate of Miami Jackson Senior High, was able to surpass Caldwell’ s push ups, beating him with more than 90. Caldwell ultimately decided to award all four of the challengers for their perseverance.
“It’s responding to failure that makes us successful, if you get back up on the horse and keep fighting,” said Caldwell. “I really appreciate that they came out and gave it all they got.”
The students later got a tour of the Panthers’ facilities, where they were able to get a behind-thescenes look into the sports franchise world. They learned about work done by the sales team before moving on to themain floor where various events take place.
The graduates also passed through fitness rooms and lockers that players regularly occupy throughout the season. The tour came to an end with a mock press conference, during which the four recipients gave speeches thanking their families and the organizations for their support.
Matese, a graduate of America Heritage in Plantation, said he was very ecstatic for the experience and that the scholarships make pursuing an education a possibility.
“When you first look at your college tuition bill, it seems like this kind of massive beast that you have to conquer,” Matese said. “Once you start working hard and getting scholarships and
getting grants and stuff like that, it kind of becomes a little more easier and a little more manageable over the four years.”
The 19-year-old hopes to pursue a major in aeronautical science at the Florida Institute of Technology inMelbourne.
“I just hope that they see where college has gotten a lot of us,” said Caldwell. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without getting a college education and doing well in school .”