Some very deserving kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Newark got to spend the afternoon with some of their favorite Ultimate Fighting Championship athletes and some New Jersey Devils players.

There was a panel discussion to kick this off, where some of the other students were able to ask the pros questions about how they prepare and how they keep from being overwhelmed.

The Boys and Girls Club of Newark empowers children to make good choices, sustain meaningful relationships with peers and caring adults, develop a positive self-image, and become productive, engaged members of the Newark community. Organizers say events like this one allow the students to be face-to-face with some of their heroes.

“The pro athletes can really relate to them. They most likely grew up in neighborhoods like our kids did and they’re really able to just identify the ways that they can become pro athletes and a lot of our kids have those aspirations,” says Kimberly Alfono, of the Boys & Girls Club of Newark.