The sun was barely breaking through the clouds Tuesday morning, but the excitement on Maurice Bacon Field was already unmistakable.

More than 100 students jogged and played on the field as they moved from station to station — a field normally reserved for football practice transformed into an open-air classroom, mixing sports, teamwork, and financial lessons.

For Ryley Jorden Smith, the day felt like the best kind of surprise.

“We were practicing on our footwork and also learning how to save money,” he said.

Ryley, a fifth-grader and football lover with big dreams of making it to the league, said he soaked in lessons about saving money, something he said he needs if he wants to make it to the NFL one day.

That dream is still a few years away, but the habits start now.

“If you’re a ki

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