Photo by Chantelle Cloutier

High school student Chantelle Cloutier reported and took photos when she saw the Bucs play the Giants with Bucified Bert’s Dream Seekers Program.

The words, “Be understanding citizens, identify friendly individuals each day,” were on the lips of every student in Bucified Bert’s group.

You know Bucified Bert, the man who started the Dream Seeker Foundation to keep the legacy of his mother, Emma Lee, alive.  Not only does Bucified give away scholarships, but he has now partnered with Josh Freeman to take students from around the Bay area who live up to the acronym bearing his name to tailgate and see a Bucs home game.  Albert believes kids should make their parents proud and be a positive role for others. Only the kids living that earn the privilege to tailgate with him.

For many students, they had never been to a Buccaneers game before.

“No, I’ve never been to a Bucs game before and I’m pretty excited, although I do have the whole team’s autograph because a player used to own my house before we bought it,” said Mitchell Watson from Martinez Middle School.

As the students approached the stadium, excitement began to kick in. They entered,  awed and overwhelmed with the crowd cheering, canons booming and the smell of sweet victory for the Bucs.

Once they were settled in their front-row seats in Freeman’s front line, they all watched and cheered on the Bucs.

“We all had to get good grades and conduct to be here,”  Denzel Smith of From Martinez Middle School said.

Volunteers from Hillsborough, Blake, Gaither, Spoto, and Bloomingdale high schools worked long hours for the Bucified Bert Dream Seeker Programs 1st Game Day Plan for the golden opportunity.

I was one of those who recieved a chance to get a taste of my dream of being a photojournalist.  I watched the other NFL photographers in amazement as they clicked away right next to me.

Even though the Buccaneers had a devastating loss, the Bucified Bert Dream Seekers walked away with their heads held high and with astonishing team spirit.