Sixty Bay Area high school tackle football players arrived at Levi's® Stadium ready to learn about leadership, mental wellness, and success in sports and beyond. What they didn't know was that the entire 49ers rookie class would be waiting to meet them.
The 2026 Mentorship Academy, presented by the William V. Campbell Family Foundation, is a 49ers Foundation program that helps high school student-athletes build skills for success on and off the field.
The three-step program combines mentorship, real-world tools, and hands-on experiences to prepare students for life after high school. This year, the mentors included the 49ers newest players.
One by one, the 2026 49ers rookies walked through the door and introduced themselves. Some students looked surprised as they recognized the names and faces they had seen on TV just days earlier.
The event came two days after the 49ers game against Seattle, when several rookies recorded career-firsts in the win over their division rival.
DL Gracen Halton recorded his first-career sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery, and touchdown against Seattle. At the academy, he sat alongside high school athletes who were close to the age he was just four years ago.
For Halton, the opportunity to connect with the next generation was a reminder of the impact a simple interaction can have.
"Growing up, I've seen a lot of players, I've been around them, and just to get that simple handshake goes a long way," Halton said. "It's a memory they will remember forever."
With one or two rookies stationed at each table, students took part in discussions about mental health, activities to improve their play, and conversations about leadership.
"It means a lot because that's the next generation coming up," RB Kaelon Black said. "I want everyone to have that clear mind, and having those techniques on what to do when things go wrong, when things are great, never being too big-headed, to stay humble, and being blessed for the moment."
The day wasn't only about learning. It was also an opportunity for the rookies and high school athletes to bond over their shared love of football.
WR De'Zhaun Stribling sat between players from Silver Creek High School in San Jose and Sequoia High School in Redwood City. By the end of the program, Silver Creek student Daniel Vo invited Stribling to his homecoming game that Friday.
Throughout the day, the rookies shared lessons they had learned through football, encouraging students to apply those lessons in their own lives and eventually pay that support forward.
"It gives our rookies a chance to give back to the next generation of leaders," Justin Prettyman, executive director of the 49ers Foundation, said. "These kids who are sitting here today aren't too far removed from where our rookies were just a few years ago… and today they set intentions on how they will give back to their communities moving forward."
Halton took the experience as an opportunity to make a lasting impression on the next generation of athletes.
"It is important to let the kids know that anything is possible when you put your mind to it," Halton said. "You can do anything in the world."
