NFL's Idonije encourages Winnipeg kids to stay in school

Manitoba NFL hero Israel Idonije visited a Winnipeg elementary school on Tuesday morning to kick off a program that encourages kids to stay in school.

Idonije, a former Manitoban, visited Sister MacNamara School in Winnipeg's inner city to launch this year's "First Down" program, which offers prizes to students who maintain high attendance.

Following an announcement at the school, attended by Premier Gary Doer, Idonije and students in the fifth and sixth grades ate a pizza lunch and went bowling.

At the bowling alley, Idonije was surrounded by adoring pre-teens, clamouring for him to join them in pictures, sign their notebooks or watch them bowl.

"What I'm trying to do is give back to the youth, like it was given to me," he said. "It's a lot of fun and very fulfilling."

The First Down program has been in place at the school for a year, and principal Karen Syler said it has had a huge impact on the students.

"The reward is really the work itself, and the children know that the rewards are something that is a bonus to what they really feel, which is that intrinsic reward of learning and being here at school," she said.

'It really helps': student

The program, which Idonije founded and piloted at a Chicago school in 2007, targets sixth-grade students at Sister MacNamara this year.

Classes receive monthly awards when average attendance is over 95 per cent, and students receive awards when they attend at least 98 per cent of the time.

John Orlikow, chair of the Winnipeg No. 1 School Division, said there are circumstances where it makes sense to add incentives.  "[Should we] reward all students who have high attendance? No. But would we allow a little program in a local community to help stimulate certain schools? Absolutely," he said.

Several students told CBC News they would go to school even without the prizes, but Idonije's involvement made them feel special and excited to participate.

"It really helps people come to school, with people that have trouble," said Karen Tiu, who is in Grade 6 at Sister MacNamara and acts as a mentor in the First Down program.

Idonije, 27, was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and emigrated to Brandon, Man., with his family.

He played for the University of Manitoba Bisons and the NFL Europe's Berlin Thunder before joining the Chicago Bears in 2004.