Fresh from rooting on the Kansas City Chiefs to one of their most exciting wins in team history a day earlier, Dan Mears was in Iola Monday to cheer a group of Iola Middle School fifth-graders.
Mears is known more for the costume he dons each Sunday at Chiefs home games as KC Wolf, a job he’s held for the past 32 years.
And while it was a treat cheering at “that boring old football game,” — a 42-36 overtime playoff victory over Buffalo — Mears told the fifth-graders he was equally enamored with what they’ve done in completing a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program.
For the past three months, the students have worked with Danny Rodriguez, community resource officer with the Iola Police Department, to develop strategies to avoid harmful drugs, alcohol and bad decisions.
Mears, who showed up at the event in full costume — much to the delight of the students and most of the adults — said their effort should be celebrated.
Mears stressed the importance of the A-B-C’s of being good citizens
The A stands for attitude, B for behavior and C for character, Mears explained.
He also showed several videos of him in action, on and off the football field, and at public events around the world.
Students also wrote essays vowing to stay free of drugs, alcohol and bad behavior.
The top three students in each fifth-grade class received medals for their work, while several read their essays.
The honored students were Maycie Johnson, Angelina Rodriguez, Hadlee Stranghoner, Broden Emerson, Logan Thopmson, Alexa Cronk, Tayven Kress, Adelynn Droessler, Braylon Keithly, Kailyn Rodriguez, Kinzley Fountain, Kolten Drake.
