3rd grade teacher goes viral with full-court shot, kids earn hot chocolate party (video)

Kathleen Fitzpatrick, or Ms. Fitz as her students know her, made a deal with the kids on the playground of Holy Trinity School in Washington, D.C. just before Christmas break: If she made the nearly…

Kathleen Fitzpatrick, or Ms. Fitz as her students know her, made a deal with the kids on the playground of Holy Trinity School in Washington, D.C. just before Christmas break: If she made the nearly full-court shot, the class would get hot chocolate. 

Ms. Fitz casually called for the ball from a kid in a reindeer costume, took three dribbles toward the basket, and launched a high-arching shot. The students watched the ball’s flight in anticipation and erupted when the ball went in, barely drawing iron. 

Ms. Fitz threw a Hail Mary and promised all the 3rd graders hot chocolate if she made the shot. Well, God was looking…

Posted by Holy Trinity School Georgetown on Sunday, December 19, 2021

As it turns out, Fitzpatrick is a former division 1 basketball player, having played for Saint Joseph’s University (2013 to 2016) and Rutgers University (2017 to 2018). Rutgers shared photos from her playing days in response to the viral video:

In an interview on ESPN’s SportsCenter, she talked about how excited her students were and then admitted, “I was so excited to have a hot chocolate party myself.”

Holy Trinity is a pre-K through 8th grade Jesuit Catholic school located in the heart of Washington, D.C.