MUSCATINE, Iowa – Autographs and three spirited fifth-grade classes kept National Football League pro Nate Kaeding busy when he visited Muscatine’s Jefferson Elementary School Friday.

Kaeding’s visit was part of Character Counts, a year-long program staged at schools across the United States.

Beca Jones, counselor for Jefferson Elementary, said she and her fellow members of the Jefferson School Climate Cadre attended training for Character Counts last summer.

“Every month, we emphasize a different character,” said Jones.

Friday, the fifth-graders learned about the importance of being a young person of character when Kaeding and members of Muscatine High School’s athletic teams came to their classrooms.

Kaeding, a former University of Iowa football player, was drafted as a kicker for the San Diego Chargers about three years ago.

Kaeding encouraged the students to become involved in volunteer work.

“In this world, there are people who are very needy,” said Kaeding. “If you guys go out and help them, that’s an example of being a good citizen.”

Kaeding told the students that acting responsibly is another part of good character and asked students for examples of ways they could display this trait.

 “We show we can be responsible by cleaning up our classroom,” said Matthew Crook, a member of Paul Adkins’ fifth-grade class.

 Kaeding told the students he was standing in the school where his dad, Larry Kaeding, spent his elementary years. His grandmother, Arlene Kaeding, was a teacher at Jefferson.

Jones recalled working with Kaeding’s grandmother when Jones began working at Jefferson in 1976-77.

Adkins told his class he worked with her as well.

MHS seniors Andre Hicks, a member of the basketball team, Aristeo Gomez, a soccer player and swimmer Krysten Munson were accompanied by MHS activities/athletic director Scott Garvis. They told the students more about what it takes to succeed as a young adult.

“Stay in school, be friendly with anyone you meet and the people on your team, and everybody will respect you,” said Hicks. “If a coach comes to your school to recruit for a local college and your coach tells him you aren’t respectful, that recruiter will walk right out the door, no matter how good you are.”

The athletes told students that athletics and good character go hand-in-hand in high school athletics.

The Jefferson students received T-shirts, lanyards and wrist bands from the MHS students. Kaeding stayed in each classroom until he had signed autographs for every child and Jefferson staff member who requested one.

Contact Cynthia Beaudette at 563-263-2331 ext. 323 or cynthia.beaudette@muscatinejournal.com