"They call me the Panther."
When it comes to introducing yourself, it's hard to beat a nickname like "La Panterita," the celebrated moniker of Alberth Elis. And the Houston Dynamo striker made quite an impression on a group of 80 students from Houston's Las Americas Middle School, treating them to a theater screening, popcorn and all, of the Marvel blockbuster "Black Panther" in conjunction with Dynamo Charities.
Elis with two Las Americas students | Houston Dynamo
Las Americas is a "newcomer campus" that educates recent immigrant and refugee students who have no or very limited English language proficiency, and who often have had a limited formal education in their native countries.
"I believe it's always important to always help others, to give children a well-needed moment of happiness," said Elis, who made headlines last year for working a Black Panther mask into a goal celebration.