BEL AIR, Md. — On one side, the starting lineup traded in their textbooks and ties for shorts and high socks.
“My gym teacher, they say he can shoot the lights out, but I don’t know about that,” said Southampton eighth grader Josh Adams.
The Hoops for a Home students vs staff basketball game is something that kids look forward to every year.
“We should help other people because people in our school get effected by this,” said eighth grader Alan Chan.
For weeks, the students raised thousands of dollars for the Harford Family House.
“My grandmother gives me a gift card every year for my birthday and Christmas because they are kind of close,” said Adams. “I just decided to donate that and I also donated some of my own money from picking up leaves during the fall.”
Harford Family House helps families and young adults experiencing homelessness get back on their feet and into permanent housing.
“Couch surfing as we call it or staying at a friends home. so you don’t really see it in Harford County but it is a big problem,” said Heather Volk with Harford Family House. “We’re told by Harford County Public Schools last year that 480 students didn’t have a permanent place to call home.”
Last year they raised over $21,000.
Brandan Buerhaus is a physical education teacher and department chair at the school who organized the fundraiser.
“Just to see the students really step and to hit home for them, like oh wow homeliness can impact anybody at any time anything could happen,” said Buerhaus. “Seeing them want to come up truly makes me feel good.”
Sources told WMAR-2 News there was a good bit of lighthearted trash talking before the game.
The kids thought they could outrun the staff, and the staff was confident experience would win the night.
“We’ll just see how it goes, I’ll jog a lot,” said Principal Chas Hagan.
Principal Hagan let his game talk for him, jogging his way into the paint for the first points of the game.
“This really gets students to understand how volunteering, how raising money and keeping it in your own community can help the student that sits next to you, the student that rides the bus with you, or the student down the block,” Hagan said.
Running the court as opponents-- and raising money and hope together.
“This is kind of them just taking the initiative,” said Buerhaus. “We just provided the students and parents with a platform and they roll with it.”
They’ve already raised $25,000 and will keep the fundraising going for a few more weeks.
The finals score was 55-51 with the teachers coming home with the W.
There will be a 3 point contest and party at the school on Friday.
