Central College will welcome six Pella area students as the 2025 Kid Captains at this Saturday’s football game at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium against Nebraska Wesleyan University at 1 pm.

Central is committed to celebrating leadership and engaged citizenship within their campus and Pella community. The initiative provides students with opportunities to develop essential skills, foster meaningful connections, and make a lasting impact on the broader community.

Kid Captains were nominated by their peers using a rubric of characteristics such as having a positive attitude, making positive contributions, considering the needs and wants of others, showing respect, and accepting and tolerating the views and beliefs of others – all of which makes them a great teammate.

Central College Kid Captains for 2025 are:

• From Jefferson Intermediate School: Thaiden Lind (son of Amanda and Tanner Lind) and Rory Thomas (daughter of Allison and Alex Thomas)
• From Pella Christian Grade School: Aliza Beekhuizen (daughter of Katie and Greg Beekhuizen) and Thomas Huitink (son of Central Trustee and a 2004 Central graduate Dan Huitink, and 2006 Central graduate Jenna Daale Huitink)
• From Pella Middle School: Koby Barnes (son of 2006 Central graduates Stephen and Heather Kraayenbrink Barnes) and Maechen Cowman (daughter of Chelsea and Josh Cowman) that’s our mortgage. I’ll be there.

In addition to Kid Captain Day, Central will also host Grandparent Day. All children 12 and under attending the game will receive free admission and the Grandparent Special, a bag of popcorn and M&M’s. The Grandparent Special honors the late Dan Marburger, former Perry High School principal and 1989 Central graduate, who enjoyed this game-day tradition with his grandkids.