Photo Gallery 
by Heather Taylor
Maryland Athletics Media Relations
April 25, 2007
HYATTSVILLE, Md. -
The Terrapin football players are in the midst of spring football, as well as gearing up for next month's final exams, but a group of freshmen met with their Hyattsville Elementary School `littles' last Friday.
The Big Brother-Little Brother program is a collaboration between the Maryland football players and students at Hyattsville Elementary School. The program began last fall and gives the Terps an opportunity to be even more in the local community.
The football players who traveled to the school last week included Adrian Cannon, Chris Clinton, Adrian Moten, Brian Whitmore, Morgan Green, Pha'Terrell Washington and Taji Thornton.
This group and other players travel to the elementary school each Friday morning to mentor a chosen group of third through sixth-grade students. The `Bigs and Littles,' as they are called, spend their time playing games, working on homework, sharing recent experiences, and most importantly discussing their goals for the future.
Dahlia Levin and Earnie Fingers, learning specialists in athletics at the University of Maryland, oversee the program along with Wilfred Haynes Sr., coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the National Capital Area.
"Entering college is a hard adjustment," said Levin. "I wanted to create something that would help the players make an impact."
The program not only makes a huge impact on the children, but also has a profound effect on the players.
"I do it for the kids," Moten said, "I try to help out the community. I try to make it better than what it is."
The players try to relate their life experiences to the kids.
"I know the ins and outs of being a kid," Clinton said. "I know the importance of having the influence of an older person. I want to make it easier for them."
Last Friday's session ended with the players presenting the kids with an invitation to the Red-White Spring Football Game and Maryland Day, events which take place on Saturday, April 28.
