Lightning and Hillsborough Schools Launch 'Attendance All-Stars' as the Program Opens November 1
The district-wide program rewards the schools and students who improve their attendance the most — with pep rallies, game tickets and in-game recognition — starting with November's attendance and the first honors in December.
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Hillsborough County Public Schools have launched Attendance All-Stars — Every Day Matters, a district-wide initiative that opened November 1 and will first recognize attendance performance beginning in December, the team announced.
Rather than rewarding only the schools with the highest overall attendance, the program celebrates improvement: each month, the elementary or middle school with the most improved attendance rate — measured against the previous month or the same month a year earlier — receives a ThunderBug celebration or pep rally appearance. The student with the most improved attendance receives four tickets to a Lightning game, or entry into a drawing in the event of a tie, along with a certificate and a T-shirt or retail item; runners-up receive swag bags. At the high school level, the most improved school receives special in-game recognition.
The campaign is backed by a promotional video from Lightning defenseman JJ Moser for elementary school morning shows, a communication toolkit for principals, and Lightning spirit days promoted through family newsletters before select home games. The team and the district say the goal is straightforward: make showing up every day something students and schools get celebrated for.
