Jimmy G's middle, high schools celebrate Super Bowl appearance
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's Northwest suburban high school and middle school Friday enthusiastically expressed hometown support for their famous graduate's imminent Super Bowl appearance.
At Rolling Meadows High School, exactly 1,312 members of the school held up cards that together spelled out, "We (heart) Jimmy G." to be shared on its social media accounts.
And at South Middle School, in Garoppolo's hometown of Arlington Heights, even the cardinal mascot sported a No. 10 jersey as students marked the occasion with 50-cent hot dogs and special desserts at lunchtime.
The card stunt at the high school truly required strategic implementation as Activities Coordinator Jim Voyles lived up to his title in finessing the desired result from the crowd.
He explained that the entire 1,900-strong student body had been invited to participate in the hope that the required number would appear. At first, it wasn't immediately apparent that the packed gym fell slightly short. An announcement over the public address system that more people were needed helped fill in the gap at the front within minutes.
Voyles said he knows not every student follows football or necessarily knew Garoppolo's name as recently as the end of the regular season. But the school has tried to generate excitement over the past two weeks for an achievement Voyles believes should be recognized as being beyond football.
As a starting quarterback in the NFL, Garoppolo has attained a job only 32 people in the world have, Voyles said. And by getting to do that job in the Super Bowl, he is part of an even more elite group.
"Jimmy Garoppolo went to high school here just like you. He walked these hallways just like you." Voyles told the students. "This isn't just about football. This is about the power of believing in being your best."
Though it took a little brainstorming to come up with the card stunt idea, Voyles knew Rolling Meadows High School had to celebrate Garoppolo's appearance in the Super Bowl in some fashion as soon as it was certain two weeks ago.
"You've got to do something," he said. "For the sake of the kids who go here and the ones that come after."
However many Super Bowls there may be in Garoppolo's future, Voyles said this particular form of celebration will be one of a kind - unique to the memories of the students who took part Friday.