The students at Strong Elementary School got very excited when players from the University of New Haven women’s basketball team stopped by their classrooms for a visit Friday. For many, even cooler than the fact they brought mascot “Charlie the Charger” was the fact that they were older students attending college - and right nearby.

Seven players from the UNH women’s basketball team spent about an hour at Strong, visiting 10 classrooms, reading to students and talking about what it is like to be a college student.

UNH student-athletes have been visiting New Haven schools over the past couple of weeks, and will continue the visits in the coming week, in conjunction with United Way’s Women’s Initiative. Athletes from the women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis , women’s track and field, and women’s volleyball teams are visiting schools that are part of United Way’s Boost! program to boast about the benefits of a college education.

The visits were scheduled over a four-week period leading up to the Chargers’ “Community Day” football game on Saturday, Oct. 6, where UNH will host the Boost! students and other area youth organizations for pre-game activities at DellaCamera Stadium. After the game, the football team will host and autograph and photo session, and give away free posters. The game helps kick off United Way’s annual Days of Caring, a series of community-based volunteer opportunities. 

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