The Military Bowl Foundation and its grocery partner, Wegmans Food Markets Inc., on Tuesday surprised Silver Spring teacher and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Mitchell Casto with a $1,000 grant to use in his classroom as part of the College Football Playoff Foundation’s Big Day for Teachers. The program is dedicated to supporting and celebrating teachers and saying thank
you to amazing educators dedicated to helping kids learn.
“We know what the extra yard means in football – it means grinding it out, giving extra effort and doing a little more to push things and help your team along,” Military Bowl Senior Director of Sponsorship Marc Goldman said as he spoke to a group of teachers gathered to recognize Casto. “We see the same thing in our communities with teachers doing a little bit extra. The Military Bowl and Wegmans are proud to recognize Mitchell Casto for his service to our nation and the next generation of leaders.”
Casto, who teaches history and government at Springbrook High School, said that he was inspired to serve his country by his father, a 20-year U.S. Navy veteran. When his father returned home in 2005 after being deployed to Iraq, Casto took his advice to join the Marines.
“He was like, ‘Look, if you’re going to be the best of the best, go Marines,” Casto said. “The Marines saved his life about five times. They’re miserable. They work the hardest and in the worst conditions. But they’re the best at what they do.”
Casto went to basic training at Parris Island, S.C., then served as a combat engineer at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. He served for six years.
“It was the best experience of my life,” he said. “I loved the discipline, the integrity, the culture. I was a machine gunner and engineer for a route-clearing platoon. It was the greatest thing I could ask for. The Marine Corps was the reason I was able to be successful in college. It made me successful as a teacher. And it made me successful as a citizen.”
Now in his sixth year at Springbrook, in addition to his classroom duties, Casto is the school’s varsity baseball coach, the debate team coach and sponsor of the gender and sexuality alliance. He also is a union representative.
“Discipline breeds excellence,” Casto said. “The same things that I teach my players on the baseball field are the same discipline and integrity that the Marine Corps instilled in me. I’m so grateful every day. Semper fidelis.”
The Military Bowl Foundation will honor more teachers through the Extra Yard for Teachers program later this fall. Nominations and submissions for the grants are being accepted through September 30. Selected teachers will be honored at the Freedom Mortgage Military Bowl game on Monday, December 28 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on ESPN. Tickets for the 2026 Freedom Mortgage Military Bowl will be on sale soon. Proceeds from the Bowl benefit Patriot Point, the Military Bowl Foundation’s 294-acre retreat for wounded, ill and injured service members, their families and caregivers.
Last year’s Extra Yard for Teachers grant recipients recognized teachers from across the region, including Washington, D.C.; Fairfax, Prince William and Stafford counties in Virginia; and Anne Arundel, Montgomery and Queen Anne’s counties in Maryland.
“Education opens doors and creates opportunities that can last a lifetime,” said Chris Holland, regional community engagement manager at Wegmans. “Teachers have an extraordinary influence on the success of our communities, and many have answered the call to serve both in uniform and in the classroom. We are proud to continue our partnership with the Military Bowl Foundation, supporting Extra Yard for Teachers, recognizing and celebrating these remarkable educators and the lasting impact they have on the lives of others.”
The College Football Playoff Foundation is the community engagement arm of the College Football Playoff and works in partnership with institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations and nonprofits to support educators and improve U.S. student outcomes. Extra Yard for Teachers, the College Football Playoff Foundation's primary initiative,
seeks to elevate the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers.