The College at Brockport had over 40 student athletes attend the Rochester Giant Read, a community service project started by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in 2007. The program took place Friday, Feb. 14 at 9:45 a.m.
According to a survey done in 2003 by the National Center for Education Statistics, 13 percent of Monroe County adults lack the basic English prose skills to read a newspaper.
The Giant Read is a part of the READ: Hope in Action initiative to promote literacy in the Rochester area. The program enlists the help of seven local colleges to read to students at various elementary schools around the inner city area.
The Giant Read was founded by RIT International Studies student and lacrosse player Kevin Rattigan.
Rattigan had been volunteering at a local school when he came up with the idea to have other college athletes volunteer as well, according to an article by RIT’s Kelly Downs.
The expansion of the event to include other local colleges was made possible by a grant from the John F. Wegman Fund. The grant pays for the books, lunches, transportation to and from the local elementary school and goody bags for the young students.
The college has chosen School No. 43 once again for this semester’s program and chose the book “Pete The Cat: Play Ball!” written by James Dean.
The book follows a young cat who participates in his first baseball game. When the game doesn’t go his way, he learns what it means to have good sportsmanship, a theme that Brockport’s student athletes know well about.
The students then played various games with the Brockport athletes in the gymnasium and put Pete the cat’s ideas about sportsmanship to good use.
Sophomore Peter DiLorenzo attended the program Friday with 40 other student athletes.
“I think the program did have to do a lot with promoting literacy because although we did play a lot we did read a lot also and had fun in the classroom,” DiLorenzo said. “The program shows the kids what they have to do to become a college student. It also shows them that although you can have fun, you also have to study hard too. Sportsmanship was shown through the activities because kids would help each other to achieve goals.”
During the event, the program also donated a copy of the book to every child and it came with a goody bag filled with book related items and customized name plates.
“This was my first time participating in the read program and I loved it,” senior Hannalee Fordyce wrote in an email. “The kids were great. I loved every minute with them. They enjoyed the activites and the book reading even more.”
The college’s Golden Eagle mascot, Ellsworth, also attended the event. He rallied up the children and encouraged them to participate.
Source: http://www.thestylus.net/sports/golden-eagles-promote-literacy-in-rochester-1.3141857#.Uwyl-fRdWIY
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