GADSDEN COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — The All Pro Dad program at West Gadsden Middle School is giving fathers, grandfathers, and mentors the chance to engage with their children while teaching the value of presence, support, and encouragement.
- Monthly meetings create opportunities for fathers and father figures to spend quality time with students, fostering stronger relationships and emotional support.
- Personal stories, like that of Dewitt Atwater and his grandson Zavier, highlight the program’s role in stepping in as a positive, guiding presence in a child’s life.
- Watch the video below to see how the All Pro Dad program is making a lasting impact on families across Gadsden County.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
At West Gadsden Middle School, a special initiative is bringing fathers and father figures into the school environment with one shared goal — to support students and strengthen family relationships. I'm Tatyana Purifoy, your Gadsden County Neighborhood Reporter. The All Pro Dad program creates opportunities for dads, grandfathers, and mentors to connect with their children on campus to build a stronger connection.
The All Pro Dad program focuses on presence and involvement, encouraging father figures to play an active role in their children's daily lives.
For DeWitt Atwater and Zavier Atwater, his grandson, they haven't missed a meeting since the program started a year ago. Participation in the program represents stepping into a vital role for his grandson following the loss of Zavier's father.
DeWitt Atwater, an All Pro Dad attendee, said, "It's important to start at an early age to be around your children and try to develop a relationship with them because if you wait until they get older and it's really hard to really try to reel them back in and then me…just being me, it's just a part of me. It just comes natural to me to just be around my kids, especially my grandkids. It's a blessing from God, so it was just automatic for me."
Terry Bradley, the program organizer, tells me that All Pro Dad is a nationwide program and is designed to create a supportive space where students feel encouraged and valued by the adults who show up for them.
Terry Bradley, the All Pro Dad captain, said, "So when we get men to come in here and of all different ages and backgrounds that can come in here and show their experiences and share with other men… the older men and the younger men, it's almost like an interdisciplinary concept. Then the young people, they get the reward of getting that type of experience, especially from men."
Through regular meetings, the program works to strengthen confidence, character, and communication — reinforcing the importance of consistent support both at school and at home. With initiatives like All Pro Dad, fathers and father figures are making a real difference in the lives of students and their families.
Zavier Atwater Jr., an All Pro Dad attendee, said, "Tell your father or your any male to come with you to join the program."
West Gadsden Middle School continues to host these gatherings each month, inviting families across Gadsden County to take part to help foster confidence, positive character, and meaningful bonds between students and their father figure.
In Gadsden County, Tatyana Purifoy, ABC 27.
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