NFL star encouraged students to “Kick It Up A Knox” for new school year
Dawson Knox, tight end for the Buffalo Bills, gave students at Knox Middle School an unforgettable surprise Friday morning — a personalized video message to help launch the school’s new “Kick It Up A Knox” initiative!
The campaign aims to motivate and inspire students as they head into the new school year to prioritize good attendance and exhibit positive behaviors, and Knox’s message added the perfect spark to get things started.
Watch Dawson Knox’s full message here:
The “Kick It Up A Knox” initiative was created by Knox Middle School’s new principal, Nicole Panton; Knox Dean of Students, Tracy Ringer; and Knox special education teacher, Karlene Peck. To celebrate the program’s launch, the school held a community-wide contest to design a logo for its inaugural year.
Panton and Ringer, both passionate Buffalo Bills fans, teamed up with fellow “Bills Mafia” member and sixth-grade teacher Megan Morreale to reach out to the Bills organization. They asked if Dawson Knox would be willing to take part in the initiative, noting the fun coincidence that the school shares his name. They kept the secret video under wraps for several weeks, helping to guarantee the element of surprise.
Students were asked to wear their favorite sports team jersey to school on Friday, and before playing the surprise video, Mrs. Ringer asked anyone who was wearing Buffalo Bills attire to come up for a front row seat.
After playing the video, Ringer reiterated the importance of Sir Bill/Lady Bill pride.
“It’s no coincidence that we are the Bills, and they are the Bills,” Ringer said. “And for a professional athlete to take time to think that you all are so special—regardless of what team you actually root for—cause that’s what Bills Mafia is about. It’s all about love and kindness. So if you’re not rooting for your team, you’d better be rooting for the Bills, because we’re all here together. THE Bills … the Sir Bills, the Lady Bills, and let’s go Buffalo Bills.”
“What an incredible way to start the new school year at Knox,” said Principal Panton. “These first two days have been all about connection—building our school community, setting clear expectations, and giving students the space to adjust to new routines, new friendships, and a new environment. We’ve laid a strong foundation that sets us up to pursue academic excellence all year long.”