Student-athletes from Illinois State University read to children at Sugar Creek Elementary School Wednesday morning as part of the State Farm/Missouri Valley Conference's community outreach program, "Just Read!" The Redbirds visited with the students while answering questions and reading books to them.
Lian Lucas (track and field), Andrea Mosher (track and field), Shawn Wiza (football), Catherine Graham (womens basketball), Kaitlin Schneider (swimming and diving), Ronnie Carlwell (mens basketball), Brent Hawkins (football), Jesse Janik (volleyball) and Ryan Brown (golf) were among the ISU student-athletes who read to the children.
Mosher sees this opportunity as a great experience and a way to interact in the community.
Its always fun to go to the schools and interact with the kids, Mosher said. This program gives us a great opportunity to be active in the community.
Carlwell, who has been involved in the Just Read! program since last year, really enjoys the experience.
Reading and interacting with the kids is a lot of fun, Carlwell said. I participated in the program last year and enjoyed doing it, so I knew I wanted to continue to be involved this year. Its cool to see how much the kids enjoy us reading to them and asking us questions.
The Missouri Valley Conference started the Just Read! program in November, 1998. The program, which is co-sponsored by State Farm Insurance and the Missouri Valley Conference, has student-athletes visit local elementary schools, reading books and relating the impact that reading has had on their lives. The program is very successful, and video segments from each Missouri Valley Conference visit are aired during the league's basketball television package.
For more information regarding Illinois State's visit to Sugar Creek Elementary School or future visits, contact Jane Fulton at 309/438-2750. For more information regarding the "Just Read!" program, contact Jack R. Watkins at 314/421-0339, ext. 327, or Sarah Weier at 314/421-0339, ext. 318, of the Missouri Valley Conference.
