Major Wright back in Gainesville to host assemblies at local schools

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•03/08/23•

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Former University of Florida standout and NFL safety Major Wright and the Wright Way Foundation will be hosting assemblies in four Alachua County elementary schools this week to continue his Good Deed Tuesday campaign.

The assembly will serve as a way to introduce the foundation’s charter to the elementary age kids. During the event, Wright will play games and have fun with the students and leave them with a message of how important it is to be kind to each other. 

The Wright Way Foundation uses character education through pay it forward principles to improve mental health, break cycles of poverty, and create a pipeline of youth who despite personal circumstances can excel in the classroom, in their communities, and on the sports field.

Wright uses his flagship initiative, Good Deed Tuesday, to teach good deeds, kindness, empathy, and compassion through pay it forward activities. Good Deed Tuesday is represented by Mr. GDT, a modern-day African American male superhero who gains power by making good choices, helping others, and doing good deeds.

Wright started his Good Deed Tuesday initiative back in 2018. In the spring of 2022, he launched GDT into a school program and published a Mr. GDT comic book with a classroom set that includes 25 books, two posters, post-it notes, GDT bracelets, T-shirts, stickers and vocabulary cards.

Wright visited Lake Forest Elementary on Tuesday and will also make stops this week at Norton Elementary, Newberry Elementary and Alachua Elementary. Lake Forest principal Beth LeClear expressed her appreciation Tuesday for Wright’s program in schools.

“It just played right into our curriculum,” LeClear said in the video below. “Our kids are super excited about it. They want him to come and see them. And right now we all know we’re in a crisis with our children who have not been in school because of COVID. So, I feel like this program is how we’re going to turn the tide on children being nice to each other, being nice to themselves and just really being good people.”

Wright appeared in 41 games for the Gators from 2007-09 and was a member of the 2009 BCS National Championship team. He was drafted in the third round (75th pick) in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears and played seven years in the NFL. To purchase one of his books, sponsor a classroom or donate to the GDT mission, click here to support.

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