Volleyball, basketball players read to kindergartners and first graders
11/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
When 5-year-old Kendrick Musik grows up, he wants to be a basketball player at the University of Montana, which is why Tuesday was especially important for him.
Players from the UM volleyball and basketball teams read to kindergartners and first-graders at Franklin Elementary School in Missoula on Tuesday.
"I think it's cool that they came here for us," Musik said. "They aren't as big as I thought they would be, though."
All teams from UM are represented in the community service activity, which will run through Nov. 14 at five Missoula-area elementary schools: Paxson, Franklin, Lowell, Russell and Hawthorne.
Diana Thompson, Lizzie Wertz, Claire Thompson, Audrey Jensen, Shelley Boyd, Sonja Nash, Mary Forrest and Ashley Hawks of the volleyball team spent the afternoon at Franklin, while Victor Venters and Brent Cummings also helped out, reading to the kids in support of the Reading is Fundamental program.
"Especially in a community like this one that is so supportive of athletics, it is important to show that you care," Diana Thompson said. "All these young kids go to sporting events, and to have us come here and read to them provides a positive example. It shows that reading is good."
As part of the reading program, the elementary schools in the Missoula district are given free books by Scholastic Publishing Co., and each student is given three free books per year, paid for by a grant from the program, said Laura Pickett, a teacher at Franklin.
"This grant really allows us to promote reading in our schools," Pickett said. "It's great because kids get to pick out a book they will love and then they get to take it home."
Giving back to the community is an aspect of athletics at UM that has become a signature of the entire department, said Marie Porter, UM's associate athletic director.
"It provides a link to the kids and the community," Porter said. "This is not a program where you have to feel super comfortable doing public speaking because it is done within small groups. It is really something that the little kids get psyched about, and so do the big kids."
Sophomore volleyball player Diana Thompson agrees with Porter, saying that the activity allows her team to bond, while providing an activity that is something they can all take pride in.
"This is just a positive experience for everyone involved," Thompson said.
Porter said she expects 70 to 100 athletes to read to elementary school students over the next two weeks.
"This is just a really nice fit for our program," Porter said. "It allows us to reach across the student segment of the population and tells them that reading is good."
While Porter said she is pleased with the participation among athletes, Pickett said she is just happy to have volunteers that are able to take time out of their busy schedules for the kids.
"They just provide our kids with a positive example," Pickett said. "They show them that they can be successful and that reading is one of the keys to do that."
Sydney Wilson, a first-grader at Franklin, said he was also happy to meet the athletes.
"It's just cool," he said.
Senior volleyballer Lizzie Wertz, on the other hand, is just happy to hang out with the little kids.
"My mom had a day care in our house," Wertz said. "So it's cool to come back here and hang out with little kids because they really appreciate it."
Players from the UM volleyball and basketball teams read to kindergartners and first-graders at Franklin Elementary School in Missoula on Tuesday.
"I think it's cool that they came here for us," Musik said. "They aren't as big as I thought they would be, though."
All teams from UM are represented in the community service activity, which will run through Nov. 14 at five Missoula-area elementary schools: Paxson, Franklin, Lowell, Russell and Hawthorne.
Diana Thompson, Lizzie Wertz, Claire Thompson, Audrey Jensen, Shelley Boyd, Sonja Nash, Mary Forrest and Ashley Hawks of the volleyball team spent the afternoon at Franklin, while Victor Venters and Brent Cummings also helped out, reading to the kids in support of the Reading is Fundamental program.
"Especially in a community like this one that is so supportive of athletics, it is important to show that you care," Diana Thompson said. "All these young kids go to sporting events, and to have us come here and read to them provides a positive example. It shows that reading is good."
As part of the reading program, the elementary schools in the Missoula district are given free books by Scholastic Publishing Co., and each student is given three free books per year, paid for by a grant from the program, said Laura Pickett, a teacher at Franklin.
"This grant really allows us to promote reading in our schools," Pickett said. "It's great because kids get to pick out a book they will love and then they get to take it home."
Giving back to the community is an aspect of athletics at UM that has become a signature of the entire department, said Marie Porter, UM's associate athletic director.
"It provides a link to the kids and the community," Porter said. "This is not a program where you have to feel super comfortable doing public speaking because it is done within small groups. It is really something that the little kids get psyched about, and so do the big kids."
Sophomore volleyball player Diana Thompson agrees with Porter, saying that the activity allows her team to bond, while providing an activity that is something they can all take pride in.
"This is just a positive experience for everyone involved," Thompson said.
Porter said she expects 70 to 100 athletes to read to elementary school students over the next two weeks.
"This is just a really nice fit for our program," Porter said. "It allows us to reach across the student segment of the population and tells them that reading is good."
While Porter said she is pleased with the participation among athletes, Pickett said she is just happy to have volunteers that are able to take time out of their busy schedules for the kids.
"They just provide our kids with a positive example," Pickett said. "They show them that they can be successful and that reading is one of the keys to do that."
Sydney Wilson, a first-grader at Franklin, said he was also happy to meet the athletes.
"It's just cool," he said.
Senior volleyballer Lizzie Wertz, on the other hand, is just happy to hang out with the little kids.
"My mom had a day care in our house," Wertz said. "So it's cool to come back here and hang out with little kids because they really appreciate it."
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