Foster Middle School 7th Grade Honors Students Visit AT&T Stadium

By Kay Ray, Longview ISD Foundation executive director, who interviewed students following the academic field trip

For the 2025 spring semester, the Foundation awarded six field academic field trips through its John W. Harrison, Jr. Academic Field Trip Grant Program, two to elementary schools and four to middle schools, for a total of $33,083.30.

Led by teachers Mary Grace Avery, Jayme Burton, Darlene Chumley, Nina Herigon, and Holly Thomas, seventy-six seventh grade honors program students at Foster Middle School traveled to Arlington on May 6 to tour AT&T Stadium.  While some of the students are fans of the Dallas Cowboys, students were not there to learn about the team or football; instead, they were there to learn about the inner workings of the stadium and the jobs the stadium supports.

During Black History Month, students researched African Americans’ successes and contributions to society.  For that assignment, students could research athletes.  For example, one student studied CeeDee Lamb, Dallas wide receiver, while another studied LeBron James. 

However, for the post-trip assignment, students were required to research a person or event directly related to the stadium or the Cowboys.  For example, students said they were researching the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders to learn about their job qualifications, training schedule, job responsibilities and pay.  Others said they wanted to learn about players’ childhoods, education, philanthropy, and business plans when their football career ends.  One said he wanted to research other events held at the stadium such as the World Cup.  One said he wanted to research Jerry Jones, team owner.  Others wanted to research the economic impact the team, events, and the stadium have on the Metroplex area.

On their tour of the stadium, students were impressed with different parts of the stadium.  While at field level, they saw a crew preparing for an upcoming Post Malone/Jelly Roll concert.  Students were amazed at how many employees it took to roll the turf and store it before the crew could set up the stadium floor for the musicians.  Santiago Olvera had visited the stadium before the trip to see a professional soccer game, so he had seen the stadium configured for an event other than a football game.  He said he would like to return to see more soccer games.  He and fellow student Carlo Picazo, who said he would like to be a player or coach, learned that while the stadium is not the largest NFL stadium, it ranks fourth in seating capacity of 80,000.  Of course, it has one of the largest electronic score
boards, mounted ninety feet above the field and offering a view from every seat.  Students learned that the score board has 720,000 LED lights to dazzle spectators.  The large speakers are the size of an eighteen wheel truck; the smaller ones, the size of a Lamborghini. 

The tour of the field inspired Hailey Jones to say that she would love a career as a commentator, field manager, or even a waterboy.  Hailey also was amazed that it takes employees twenty hours to roll the turf and store it fifty feet underground when not in use for football. 
Hailey was also impressed with the tour of the VIP section.  In this plush, cushioned ground level seating area for viewing a game, fans enjoy food and drink and can meet the Cowboys.  She also learned that performers, such as Jelly Roll and Post Malone, always have their own special VIP area.  The students learned about the many types of jobs required to operate the stadium from food service to lighting and sound operators to camera operators to commentators in the press box.  Jewel Gonzalez reported that students rode the large freight elevator to the area below the stadium.  She said she would like to work in one of the stadium’s restaurants or as an event planner.  She also learned that while fans may think that the cheerleaders only work for the Cowboys, they, in fact, have other full time jobs because they only earn $29 an hour as a cheerleader, or about $500 a game. 

Said Aguirre was impressed with the players’ locker room.  He reported that it was “unnecessarily nice” with specially designed carpet and murals of past and present players on the wall.   He also reported that the students could not tour the press box because it is undergoing an eight million dollar renovation.  He was also impressed with the artwork, much of it by Texan artists, displayed throughout the stadium, especially the hanging sculptures they saw. 
As the group talked about the amount of money it takes to operate the stadium, Hailey interjected that the stadium earns quite a bit of money from the gift shop.  The price of the gift items shocked students.  For example, a team jacket was $180 while a player’s jersey was $300.  Students found Cowboy trademarked logo lanyards for $10, something they could afford and use.  A plush toy football was $30, and students like Santiago were shocked that one logo golf ball cost $5.00.  The students noted that the gift shop would not accept cash.  They discussed the reasons for being cashless: no need to make change, avoidance of income loss due to theft, and efficiency of operation for the customer.  They all agreed cashless is the preferred payment method of the future, yet they commented that the system is difficult for teenagers who often have cash only.

They also noted that tour guides provided jobs at the stadium.  In fact, they noted that many of them were retired teachers. 

The students finished their trip report by saying that when the Jonas Brothers performed at the stadium, they wrote into their contract that they would be allowed to play X-Box games on the jumbo scoreboard, something the students would like to do
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The guided tours of the stadium offered students many opportunities to learn about a place many of them may never have visited while learning about the stadium as a business rather than simply a football arena that they see on television.

The Longview ISD Foundation, Inc. is proud to have offered Foster Middle School students this opportunity and is especially proud that they learned about careers.  The Foundation hopes the students pursue those career opportunities.