Fredbird comes to Steeleville

<span>STEELEVILLE -- Students at Steeleville Grade School and St. Mark's Lutheran School were in for a real treat on Monday, April 20, when Fredbird came to visit.</span>

<span>The visit was a part of the St. Louis Cardinals' "Doin' It Right" Program with three important messages of "Don't do drugs! Stay in school! Participate in sports and stay fit!"</span>

<span>Students from St. Mark's were invited to an assembly in the Steeleville Grade School gym. Speaking to the students was Alan Hrabosky, a former pitcher for the Cardinals, along with some help from the entertaining Fredbird.</span>

<span>"He doesn't talk, but he is hilarious, that's for sure. He was very interactive with the kids and did a really good job of including kids of all ages and from both schools," Superintendent Stephanie Mulholland said.</span>

<span>At the assembly, prizes were given to the children who answered questions as well as dancing and other activities with Fredbird and Hrabosky.</span>

<span>This was the first time that the assembly had been held at Steeleville and the feedback was positive, according to Mulholland.</span>

<span>"The kids were so well-behaved," she said. "I was so proud of them. They were paying attention and hanging on every word."</span>

<span>The previous superintendent, Don Badgley, contacted Mulholland about the program as a member of the Steeleville Methodist Church.</span>

<span>"He said that they wanted to do something for the school and they thought of having Fredbird here," Mulholland said. "I knew that he did assemblies, but I never thought about it being down here since we're so far from St. Louis."</span>

<span>Mulholland says she definitely plans to have Fredbird come again.</span>

<span>"It was just so popular," she said. "The kids and the teachers loved it."</span>

<span>Normally, schools invite Fredbird back every five years and Mulholland plans to stick with that. Hrabosky even invited the kids to call Mulholland "Skipper" and their teachers, "Coach," for the week.</span>

<span>This refers to how the Cardinals call the manager of their team "Skipper."</span>

<span>Some students were a little skeptical, asking Mulholland "Can we really call you Skipper?" as they would pass her in the hallway.</span>

<span>She is allowing it for the week, but thinks that some students will probably continue with the new nickname after.</span>

<span>After all, if students are still using the name, they are still thinking about the assembly.</span>

<span>"That, to me, is the whole point," Mulholland said.</span>