Olympic high jump champion Derek Drouin created a lot of excitement at his former elementary school in Corunna Monday morning.
The 26-year-old gold medalist in last summer's games in Rio was the guest of honour at an assembly at St. Joseph's Catholic School.
Drouin says he's embracing being a role model for young kids aspiring to reach new heights, in sports or any other career pursuits.
Over 400 students and staff attended the assembly that included a video of Drouin's Olympic accomplishments.
"I have a lot of fond memories from here, it's a nostalgic experience," says Drouin. "Watching videos from another very high point in my life was a cool experience and one that was exciting for me to share with hopefully the next crop of Olympians."
Many students were impressed by how tall their hero is.
Principal Colleen Cogghe says seeing a famous athlete in person provides the ultimate inspiration for young students.
"Like Derek said, it doesn't matter if it's sports oriented or something to do with music or academics, if you truly want to make a difference and strive for something, you're capable of anything you put your mind to," says Cogghe.
After speaking to the assembly and fielding questions, Drouin signed autographs for students of his former grade school for some two hours.
