Seahawks Surprise Student Leaders with Shopping Spree

‘Twas three days before Christmas, and all through the Target in Renton Landing, 20 young men stirred anxiously as they waited to learn why they had gathered at the store. Blitz, the mascot for the Seattle Seahawks, weaved excitedly through the group while four Sea Gals posed for pictures with the boys. 

Once they had all arrived, William King, a mentoring program coordinator for the Office of African American Male Achievement (AAMA), made the big announcement: Seahawks free safety Quandre Diggs donated $5,000 to members of the AAMA Student Leadership Council (SLC), giving each of them $200 to spend on whatever their heart desired.  

Because of the National Football League’s safety COVID protocols, Diggs was unable to attend in person, but called the group on FaceTime before their spree began. They passed the phone around to give each student a chance to say hello and to thank him for his generosity. Rainier Beach High School freshman Jarvae Lindsay was shocked by the gift.  

“At first, I thought it was a school thing, because I saw a couple of my classmates,” Lindsay said. “Then I saw all the Seahawks and stuff. It was a big surprise!” 

After missing an opportunity to attend a Seahawks football game in November, Dre Santos was grateful to be invited on the shopping spree. The Asa Mercer International Middle School seventh grader headed straight to the electronics section of the store. He said the gift made up for missing the game. 

“I didn’t believe him; I thought he was joking,” Santos said after King made the announcement. “That was pretty cool.” 

The boys had 40 minutes to zip through the store with most of them grabbing video games, electronics, and clothing. Santos settled on a pair of gaming headphones and some sweatpants. Others picked out gifts for family members.  

Many of the boys have been on the leadership council since it began in January 2020. For them, SLC is the gift that keeps on giving. Steven Rachal, an AAMA family support worker, said an experience like this gives the teens a sense of joy. 

“A lot of these guys probably don’t have the resources or a chance to even get a gift,” Rachal said. “This is a chance for them to have someone think of them and care about them and their families. For them, they will always appreciate this.”