Big man on campus

Contributed Report
Published: October 29, 2008

WARRENTON — When Taylor DeHaven, a second grader at Smith Elementary School, won the “Take an NFL Player to School” contest, the 7-year-old didn’t know too much about the Washington Redskins or their quarterback.

That all changed on Tuesday, Oct. 28 when the petite blonde with the mile-wide grin spent the morning at her school in the company of Redskins QB Jason Campbell.

Taylor’s father is actually the one who entered her name in the JCPenney-sponsored contest. When her name was picked from the over 100,000 entries for the Virginia-Maryland-D.C. district, Taylor began to study the team once she knew one of the players would accompany her to school.

By Tuesday, before she met the Redskins’ popular quarterback, Taylor said she was a Redskins fan and Jason Campbell was her favorite player on the team.

“I used to not be [a fan], but I am now,” she said.

As part of the contest prize, Jason Campbell arrived at the DeHavens’ home in Warrenton to pick up Taylor and her family in a chauffer-driven, stretch limousine. Campbell commented later on the family’s hospitality as they greeted him with orange juice at their Redskins-decorated home.

The special greeting for the affable Redskin extended through his arrival at Smith Elementary. With “Hail to the Redskins” piped over outside speakers, burgundy and gold ribbons attached to every pole at the school’s entrance, and student greeters lining the front-door portico, Campbell received a thunderous outburst of cheers as he pulled his 230-lb., 6’5” frame from the limo.

Taylor grinned nonstop as she and her new special friend walked into the school, with Campbell taking time to shake hands with students and staff members thrilled to have him visit.

Campbell’s first stop was the principal’s office where he signed autographs as Taylor stood shyly by his side. Jokingly asking Taylor if she’d ever been to the principal’s office, Campbell told her, “My father was an assistant principal, so believe me, I didn’t ever want to be sent to the principal’s office.”

Smith Elementary Principal Dr. Patricia Comstock and Taylor escorted Campbell to the school’s gymnasium where the entire student body – most in Redskins’ garb – waited anxiously for him to arrive.

Garnering lots of applause herself for bringing Jason Campbell to her school, Taylor had the privilege of introducing the Redskins’ star. He entered the room to cheers, shouts and excitement seemingly equal to that at a Super Bowl game.

Campbell seemed genuinely affected by the warm reception from the elementary students and their teachers.

“This is great. This like a pep rally, and I haven’t been to one of those since high school,” he said when the cheers died down. Campbell took the opportunity to help deliver the NFL’s “Play 60” message, encouraging youth to be active for 60 minutes a day. He spoke to the pre-kindergartners through fifth-graders about the importance of exercise and good nutrition.

“Find some activity to get involved in every day,” he told his young audience. “Try to exercise 60 minutes every day. Even your teachers exercise every day – because they want to look good. We all need to stay in shape. I have to stay in shape. You know why? Who wants to face 300-pound linemen coming at them if you’re not in shape?”

A student asked the Redskins QB how he mentally turned things around when things weren’t going well during a game. Campbell told him that just as in life, he has to pick up, move on and focus on what comes next.

Asked what his most important game has been, Campbell said without missing a beat, “The next one.” As soon as one game’s over, he said he must begin thinking about the next team he will be facing in the next game.

At the conclusion of the assembly, Campbell paid a compliment to the Smith Elementary students to the delight of the faculty.

“Of all the schools I have visited, you have been the most respectful and the most attentive kids I’ve seen,” he said. “Are y’all like this every day in school?” to which Principal Comstock gave a resounding, “Yes, they are.”