Kordell Stewart surprises TikTok teacher during school pep rally
Lashay Powell received more than an apple for this year's Teacher Appreciation Day. She received a surprise visit from former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart.
Students from Northeast Magnet High School in Wichita, Kansas, gathered in the gymnasium on Tuesday to celebrate Powell, who goes by "Ms. Pow Pow," on the "Today" show.
After anchor Sheinelle Jones gave a speech to the crowd, she presented the special guest. Stewart rounded the corner of the bleachers wearing his No. 10 Steelers jersey and holding a bouquet of flowers and a gift basket with a team hat and a Terrible Towel.
"That's Kordell Stewart!" Powell exclaimed as she recognized the familiar face.
"Well, Ms. PowPow, on behalf of myself and the Pittsburgh Steelers, we would like to present to you two tickets one of this season's games," he said. "So you better go out and enjoy yourself and have a great time. I'd like to also give my autobiography. We met way back at Colorado and it was a story that happened all the way up to this point, so you'll have a chance to read everything about it."
In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Day, @SheinelleJones travels to her hometown of Wichita, Kansas, to spotlight the story of beloved teacher Lashay Powell who went viral on TikTok and surprises her with Pittsburgh @steelers’ Kordell Stewart! pic.twitter.com/ZjyoUi72IL
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 9, 2023
Even though she is from Kansas, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, Powell has been a fan of the Steelers since she was a little girl. She said she met Stewart when she was 12 or 13 years old. At the time, he played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes, where Deion Sanders is now the head coach.
"I was like, 'Oh, he's going to be my husband. I'm going to grow up and marry Kordell Stewart,'" she said, laughing. "He obviously went to the Steelers. And I was like, 'Well, that's my husband's team.'"
Powell, who has been teaching for 22 years and works two jobs, went viral on TikTok in January when a student posted a video of her opening a gift from her sophomores. They gave her a custom Steelers jersey with the number 25 and nameplate "POWPOW" after her nickname. Powell teared up before she even opened the gift bag and jumped up and down in excitement when she saw the jersey. The video has since received more than 10 million views.
Powell credits her mother with giving her a heart for students.
"She pushes us to our full potential," one of her students, Leonel Sweet, said. "One thing she always preaches is learning and growing."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kordell Stewart surprises TikTok teacher during school pep rally
