Padres' Manny Machado congratulates students with surprise visit

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Paradise Hills Elementary School got the surprise of a lifetime on Monday from a Padres superstar.

Third baseman Manny Machado stopped by the school to congratulate students for winning the Padres and San Diego Unified School District's attendance challenge that focuses on improving absenteeism, according to education officials.

The “Be Like a Pro And Always Go” campaign took place between March 1 through April 30.

“No matter what you want to be in life, every day you’re in school will help you get closer to your dreams,” Machado said. “I’m so proud of all the students in San Diego Unified for the great job they did with this challenge. You’re all pros in my book!”    

Each student at Paradise Hills Elementary School received free Padres tickets, a Machado bobblehead and attendance certificates signed by the six-time All Star.

Fletcher Elementary School in the Birdland neighborhood took second place in the attendance challenge. They received tickets to a Padres game as well.

Also, students from 63 schools serving Universal Transitional Kindergarten through fifth grade will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for tickets to a Padres game for improving their attendance, officials said.

With a spike in absenteeism at schools locally and nationwide since the pandemic, Paradise Hills Elementary School Principal Steve Elizondo said the percentage of chronically absent students (those missing at least 10% of school days) dropped by seven percentage points last month.