By Bianca Bryant
Medill Reports 

SAN FRANCISCO – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stood at the entrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Middle School this week, not to discuss labor relations, but to champion a “spectacular city on the rise.”

As the Bay Area prepares to host Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Goodell and league officials are choosing to look beyond the stadium, shining light onto the local community. The league is emphasizing a “legacy impact” designed to ensure the presence of the NFL’s championship game leaves behind more than just memories of touchdowns and celebrations.

“This is an extraordinary community,” Goodell said. “Today we celebrate the legacy of making sure that this game has a lasting impact. Having fields where kids can play and Sports for All is a great thing, and we are proud to be a part of that.”

The initiative at MLK Middle School serves as the centerpiece of this year’s community outreach. Through a partnership among the NFL, GENYOUth and Lowe’s, the school has been transformed. Changes include the installation of a new turf field, the restoration of the running track and basketball courts, and a full repainting of the campus.

Video by Brock Morgan
Medill Reports

For the staff at the school, the changes go beyond aesthetics. They are about shifting the culture on campus and fostering a sense of ownership among the students.

“I feel like they’re giving kids here more sense of belonging,” school security officer Anthony Guardado said. “Since the school is getting remodeled, they feel like the school is theirs to take care of.”

“I think it’s awesome for our kids,” school security officer and case worker John-Michael Williams said. “Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our community. They’re beautifying the school in partnership with Lowe’s. That’s pretty cool.”

The impact is personal for security staffer Anthony Washington, who attended the school as a student and now coaches flag football there.

“Seeing the turf field in the back and all those different areas, I feel like it’s really exciting for the kids, for them to do good or just try to take care of the school,” Washington said.

Anyssa Jeske, a teacher at the school, noted the NFL’s involvement provides unique motivation for students. 

“It’s really important that the NFL’s here because these kids are having some good role models coming in and representing,” Jeske said. 

Central to this community surge is GENYOUth, a national nonprofit founded by America’s Dairy Farmers and the NFL. The organization works with all 32 NFL teams to increase access to healthy school meals and physical activity.

Ann Marie Krautheim, CEO of GENYOUth, explained the nonprofit has provided grab-and- go breakfast carts to the school, ensuring students are nourished before they hit the new field.

“The NFL doesn’t just swoop in and have a game and go home,” Krautheim said. “They want to make sure they are leaving the community in a better place.”

The physical activity side of the equation is bolstered by the NFL FLAG-In-School program, which provides equipment and kits to physical education programs. According to Krautheim, the goal is to help students build confidence and thrive both in the classroom and in life.

Zaileen Janmohamed, president and CEO of the Bay Area Host Committee, identified the school as the first Sports for All Hub to celebrate the Super Bowl LX’s local footprint. She announced the committee is committing $8.2 million in grant funding to ensure young people in the Portola and Bayview neighborhoods have safe spaces to grow.

“Major sporting events can be a catalyst for meaningful community change,” Janmohamed told a room of students. “You all represent the future of the Bay Area.”

MLK Middle School Principal Byron Gougoumis said the school, which prides itself on restorative practices and project-based learning, has seen a “tremendous increase” in the students’ sense of belonging over the last year.

“The school got repainted. … That is a very significant part of beautifying our school and bringing that sense of belonging,” Gougoumis said. “When parents come in, it’s the first thing they see. It’s making the kids feel proud, making it a place for them to want to be.”

As the city readies for the influx of global tourists and media, the local impact remains the priority for those on the ground in the Portola district.

“It’ll last long after the final whistle on Sunday,” Krautheim said.

Bianca Bryant is a sports media specialization graduate student at Medill.