BALTIMORE – With Baltimore being labeled a 'City in Crisis' for a number of reasons, the first day back to school was a welcomed sight and a glimmer of hope for many.
 
On Tuesday, Sept. 3, members of the Towson University men's basketball team arrived early to greet and welcome the children and families of the Belair Edison School to school on their first day. The school is located in the northeast section of Baltimore City.
 
The school visit was arranged through the Athletics department's Total Tiger Program which seeks to facilitate meaningful community service opportunities for student-athletes.
 
Towson University men's basketball seniors Tobias Howard, Nakye Sanders, Brian Fobbs and Dennis Tunstall and sophomore Chris Caligarian made attending the first day of school memorable for Belair Edison students by spreading positivity and welcoming them and their families at the main entrance of the Belair Edison School with gifts, words of encouragement, and high-fives.
 
The Tigers smiled as they handed out black Towson wristbands and black-and-gold beads to students entering the building for their first day of school. Towson's Director of Student-Athlete Development (Men's basketball) Parfait Bitee also supplied some additional energy by being enthusiastic and engaging the kids and their families as they arrived.
 
"It's exciting to have members of the Towson men's basketball team here," Belair Edison principal Diya Slayton said. "A lot of our students enjoy sports, they love sports and its part of our mission to make sure our students are physically healthy. To see real college athletes is inspiring for them; it's inspiring for the staff to know the whole community is rallying around our students so we are excited they were here to greet our students and give them gifts and high-fives and make them excited about learning and coming back to school."
 
For Towson's student-athletes, investing in the community is always a chance to pay it forward and make a difference. While Fobbs has provided countless memories on the court to keep fans entertained, it was the kids who left an indelible impression on him.
 
"Seeing the smiles on the kids' faces when they walked through the doors to start school was priceless," said Fobbs, an All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Second Team selection. "Greeting them on their first day of school was awesome because I know when I was their age, my first day of school was fun and I was excited to be there. Being able to congratulate them on starting a new school year is something I won't forget. Having fun, meeting new kids, the teachers being there for us and having a good time, that's what stood out for me on my first day of elementary school."
 
It was an exciting yet humbling experience for the Tigers, who had fun greeting enthusiastic children.
 
"Seeing the kids excited on their first day was the best part of the day for me," said Tunstall, a member of the 2019 All-CAA Defensive Team. "It's always a blessing to have this opportunity and one I never take for granted. I remember when I was in their position of starting the first day of school. It's a special day. Its great meeting new friends and learning what class you're in. The excitement is real. It's important to give back and show the community that we're more than just basketball players. These kids will one day want to come to one of our games because they saw us here."

NOTES: Towson opens its 2019-20 season by hosting George Washington on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at SECU Arena. CLICK HERE for complete 2019-20 schedule.
 
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