Members of the Papillion La Vista High School boys basketball team spent time at summer school this week, leading younger students through a series of ball-handling drills. The visit gave elementary-age students the chance to work on dribbling, passing, and shooting fundamentals under the guidance of their high school role models.

Beyond the basketball skills themselves, the session offered summer school students a meaningful connection to older peers within the district. High school athletes serving as mentors and instructors helps reinforce a sense of community that spans grade levels, showing younger students what they might look forward to as they progress through PLCS schools.

Activities like this are a regular feature of PLCS's summer enrichment programming, which pairs academic instruction with movement-based and skill-building opportunities. Having student-athletes lead these sessions adds an extra layer of encouragement, as participants often respond well to instruction from near-peers they admire.

The visit reflects the district's broader commitment to building connections between its schools and creating opportunities for older students to give back to their communities.