| |
| |
atlanta hawks players and
kroger turn a page on youth literacy
Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, Acie Law and Mario West
 |
| Mario West reads with a student |
|
shoulda been there
Students at John Hope Elementary School in Atlanta entered their classrooms to find loads of books — and star NBA players turning the pages.
On March 21, the Atlanta Hawks teamed up with Kroger and the Reading Tree to donate 3,000 books to students and the school’s media center. Glynn Jenkins, Kroger’s director of communications and public relations, said the event, which collected books from Kroger customer donations, scored high points in youth literacy.
“[It] was just extraordinary to see the kids’ enthusiasm and [engaged] in just wanting to learn to read,” said Jenkins after watching the students cheer on the players entering the school’s gym. “We think the partnership with the Reading Tree has been a huge success, but more importantly, a benefit for the kids in this particular school.”
The Hope Elementary students were not only the recipients of reading materials, they also enjoyed a good read with Hawks’ players in their classrooms. Hawks guard and forward Mario West said reading is a fundamental factor in the game of life. “Reading, math and writing [are] basically the foundation, without those things you are pretty much helpless,” said West. “As far as your career, everything starts with that. [And that’s] from kindergarten on up.”
Book donation bins are set up at metro Atlanta Kroger stores for similar programs. –marissa mitchell
|
|
|
| |
Send this Article to a Friend
