Photo by: Josh McDaniel
Louisiana Tech Joins National "Big Day for Teachers" Celebration with Surprise Classroom Visit in Lincoln Parish
9/15/2026 4:15:00 PM | General
RUSTON |Â Louisiana Tech Athletics surprised Glen View Elementary School K-2nd grade inclusion special education teacher Kaylee Bombard on Tuesday as part of the College Football Playoff Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers Week, recognizing her impact in the classroom during the national celebration's "Big Day for Teachers."
Members of the Louisiana Tech Athletics and Lincoln Parish School Board staff were joined on site by Champ, Tech Cheer, and the Bulldog Bowling team to help deliver the surprise, with Glen View Elementary Principal Jordan Blachier welcoming the group to campus. As part of the recognition, Bombard received a $1,000 gift card to support her classroom, courtesy of DonorsChoose.org, Extra Yard for Teachers, the College Football Playoff Foundation, and the Sun Belt Conference.
"Glen View Elementary was honored to welcome Louisiana Tech University to our campus to recognize Kaylee Bombard," said Blachier. "Ms. Bombard is a phenomenal educator who pours her heart into her students each day. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to build meaningful relationships with her students and their families. Her students know how deeply she cares about them, and they also know that she will continue to challenge, encourage, and support them as they strive to be their very best. We are incredibly proud to have Ms. Bombard as part of the Glen View Elementary family."
The surprise visit, held in Lincoln Parish, is part of a national movement that unites every level of college football each September to celebrate the profession — because, as the CFP Foundation puts it, every day is game day for teachers. Since its founding, Extra Yard for Teachers has supported more than 756,000 teachers and 14 million students across 96,000 schools nationwide. Bombard's recognition kicks off a season of storytelling for Louisiana Tech built around the same idea: that behind every Bulldog, there was someone who believed in them first.
"Community partnerships mean so much to Lincoln Parish Schools. When organizations like Louisiana Tech take the time to recognize and celebrate our educators, it reminds our teachers that the work they do every day is seen and appreciated beyond the walls of their school. We're always excited for an opportunity to shine a light on our teachers and the impact they have on their students and our community. We're grateful to Louisiana Tech for helping us celebrate Kaylee and the great work happening at Glen View," said John Young, Superintendent of Lincoln Parish Schools.
A Season-Long Commitment, Not a Single Moment
Louisiana Tech's involvement in Extra Yard for Teachers Week extends well beyond a single surprise visit. Through a $7,500 grant from the College Football Playoff Foundation, distributed in partnership with the Sun Belt Conference, Louisiana Tech Athletics is funding the creation of a dedicated mental health and wellness room for educators at Ruston Junior High School — a quiet, restorative space where teachers can step away from the demands of the school day to recharge and prioritize their own well-being.
The project is the latest chapter in an initiative Louisiana Tech Athletics has built over several years, selecting a different Lincoln Parish school each year to receive a permanent wellness resource. Previous wellness spaces have been established at Cypress Springs, I.A. Lewis Elementary, and Ruston Elementary, with this year's project continuing that commitment at Ruston Junior High. The new space is expected to be completed during the 2026-27 academic year.
Grant funds will furnish the new space with a sofa, accent chairs, massage chairs, a work table and desk, a bookcase, room partition, area rug, and other comfort and wellness resources — creating a room designed entirely around giving educators room to breathe.
"Having spent my own career as an educator here in Lincoln Parish, I know firsthand the invaluable work our teachers do every single day," said Kyle Kavanaugh, Louisiana Tech's Senior Associate AD for External Affairs and Chief Brand Officer. "Moments like this matter because the support these teachers receive genuinely helps change lives — both in their classrooms and in our community. This partnership with Lincoln Parish has grown into something special over the years. Kaylee's story is a reminder of why we do this work — our local educators pour so much into our kids, and we want them to know Louisiana Tech is behind them, all year long."
Bringing It Home in November
Louisiana Tech will formally recognize Ruston Junior High's educators and the ongoing wellness room project with an on-field presentation during the Bulldogs' regular-season home finale on Saturday, Nov. 21, against Arkansas State — a game already built around honoring the people who invest in the next generation.
The wellness room itself is expected to be completed later in the 2026-27 academic year, with the November recognition celebrating the school and the work already underway. The date connects a commitment that started with a single classroom visit to a permanent resource that will serve an entire school for years to come.
"Every Bulldog's story started with someone who believed."
Members of the Louisiana Tech Athletics and Lincoln Parish School Board staff were joined on site by Champ, Tech Cheer, and the Bulldog Bowling team to help deliver the surprise, with Glen View Elementary Principal Jordan Blachier welcoming the group to campus. As part of the recognition, Bombard received a $1,000 gift card to support her classroom, courtesy of DonorsChoose.org, Extra Yard for Teachers, the College Football Playoff Foundation, and the Sun Belt Conference.
"Glen View Elementary was honored to welcome Louisiana Tech University to our campus to recognize Kaylee Bombard," said Blachier. "Ms. Bombard is a phenomenal educator who pours her heart into her students each day. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to build meaningful relationships with her students and their families. Her students know how deeply she cares about them, and they also know that she will continue to challenge, encourage, and support them as they strive to be their very best. We are incredibly proud to have Ms. Bombard as part of the Glen View Elementary family."
The surprise visit, held in Lincoln Parish, is part of a national movement that unites every level of college football each September to celebrate the profession — because, as the CFP Foundation puts it, every day is game day for teachers. Since its founding, Extra Yard for Teachers has supported more than 756,000 teachers and 14 million students across 96,000 schools nationwide. Bombard's recognition kicks off a season of storytelling for Louisiana Tech built around the same idea: that behind every Bulldog, there was someone who believed in them first.
"Community partnerships mean so much to Lincoln Parish Schools. When organizations like Louisiana Tech take the time to recognize and celebrate our educators, it reminds our teachers that the work they do every day is seen and appreciated beyond the walls of their school. We're always excited for an opportunity to shine a light on our teachers and the impact they have on their students and our community. We're grateful to Louisiana Tech for helping us celebrate Kaylee and the great work happening at Glen View," said John Young, Superintendent of Lincoln Parish Schools.
A Season-Long Commitment, Not a Single Moment
Louisiana Tech's involvement in Extra Yard for Teachers Week extends well beyond a single surprise visit. Through a $7,500 grant from the College Football Playoff Foundation, distributed in partnership with the Sun Belt Conference, Louisiana Tech Athletics is funding the creation of a dedicated mental health and wellness room for educators at Ruston Junior High School — a quiet, restorative space where teachers can step away from the demands of the school day to recharge and prioritize their own well-being.
The project is the latest chapter in an initiative Louisiana Tech Athletics has built over several years, selecting a different Lincoln Parish school each year to receive a permanent wellness resource. Previous wellness spaces have been established at Cypress Springs, I.A. Lewis Elementary, and Ruston Elementary, with this year's project continuing that commitment at Ruston Junior High. The new space is expected to be completed during the 2026-27 academic year.
Grant funds will furnish the new space with a sofa, accent chairs, massage chairs, a work table and desk, a bookcase, room partition, area rug, and other comfort and wellness resources — creating a room designed entirely around giving educators room to breathe.
"Having spent my own career as an educator here in Lincoln Parish, I know firsthand the invaluable work our teachers do every single day," said Kyle Kavanaugh, Louisiana Tech's Senior Associate AD for External Affairs and Chief Brand Officer. "Moments like this matter because the support these teachers receive genuinely helps change lives — both in their classrooms and in our community. This partnership with Lincoln Parish has grown into something special over the years. Kaylee's story is a reminder of why we do this work — our local educators pour so much into our kids, and we want them to know Louisiana Tech is behind them, all year long."
Bringing It Home in November
Louisiana Tech will formally recognize Ruston Junior High's educators and the ongoing wellness room project with an on-field presentation during the Bulldogs' regular-season home finale on Saturday, Nov. 21, against Arkansas State — a game already built around honoring the people who invest in the next generation.
The wellness room itself is expected to be completed later in the 2026-27 academic year, with the November recognition celebrating the school and the work already underway. The date connects a commitment that started with a single classroom visit to a permanent resource that will serve an entire school for years to come.
"Every Bulldog's story started with someone who believed."
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