Sugar Creek Elementary got a special visit Tuesday from 25 Illinois State student-athletes participating in the State Farm/Missouri Valley Conference Just Read Program. This was the second visit to an area school by the Redbirds in the fall semester.
Joining the student-athletes were representatives from State Farm, the Missouri Valley Conference and the Redbird Athletics Directors staff, including Director of Athletics Perk Weisenburger. Kurt Pegler from WMBD and Beth Weisman from WJBC were also on hand interviewing student-athletes and the 291 children that participated in the program. The athletes read to 13 different classes ranging from kindergarden through sixth grade.
For Don Gillan, the principal at Sugar Creek Elementary, it was an extra special visit since his son, Brett, is a player on the Redbird mens basketball team and was on hand to help read to the children.
The children really embraced the student-athletes today, said Assistant Athletic Director of Academics and Life Skills Jane Fulton. Having the entire Athletics Directors staff from ISU there, plus having representatives from the Valley and State Farm in attendance, really made the whole day special. One of the highlights of the day was seeing how excited Don (Gillan) was at having his son participate in the program as a Redbird student-athlete.
Assistant Valley Commissioner Jack Watkins attended the program and said that it ranked within the top four that he has personally attended within the MVC.
Illinois State student-athletes participating in the program Tuesday included: Ben Abbott (baseball); Andy Strandmark, Dana Ford, Brett Gillan (mens basketball); Jaci McCormack, Sharon Blade, Stephanie Reichle (womens basketball); Lindsay Klinefelter (gymnastics); Kevin Kreger, Troy Maskel, Aaron Peterson, William Rolle, and Ronald Maye (football).
In addition, Lauren Bierwirth, Abbie Scott, Audra Rast, Kate Guilbault (softball); Laura Doornbos, Amber Rogers, Lacy McFarland, Erin Jones (volleyball); Christian Goy, Angela Bartsch (cross country), Emily LaVoie and Kaitlin Schneider (swimming/diving) participated as well.
The goal of the program is to promote the importance of reading at an early age to stimulate educational growth, while utilizing Missouri Valley Conference athletes as positive role models.
