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Thursday,
February 12, 2004 |
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TCU
hosts reading event for elementary kids
By
Kristy
Cubstead
Staff Reporter
Thousands of elementary school students from all over
north Texas will travel to Daniel-Meyer Coliseum Saturday
for the third annual Fall in Love with Reading Festival.Nonprofit
organization Score a Goal in the Classroom sponsors the
event, which is expected to bring in about 4,000 children
ages 4 to 11, said Ernie Horn, executive director of Score
a Goal in the Classroom.
“This is a tradition we started at TCU,” Horn
said. “We’re the first university in the world
to do this.”
Horn said the over 400 volunteers will read and talk to
the students at the festival, which is from 9 to 11 a.m.
It helps students learn to have fun with reading, and
every student will walk away with at least one book, he
said.
Volunteers from the Fort Worth Public Library will lead
students in games such as musical books. Participants
can also win toys, tickets to local sporting events, coupons
for free food, and school supplies through various games
and giveaways, Horn said.
Kevin O’Connell, associate athletic director of external
operations, said costume characters, such as the Mad Hatter
and Alice from “Alice in Wonderland,” may also
be at the event.
Children from Fort Worth, Weatherford, Cleburne, Grapevine
and Arlington will meet at their elementary school and
take buses to TCU, Horn said. All elementary students
are welcome to participate, and do not have to come with
a school.
TCU athletes, SuperFrog, Greek organizations, the TCU
Showgirls, and faculty and staff are among the many that
will volunteer for the festival. More volunteers are still
needed, and anyone is welcome to come at 8:30 a.m. Saturday
to Daniel-Meyer Coliseum to volunteer.
The athletes that volunteer at the event will wear their
jerseys, talk to the students about their sport and autograph
books for them, said Assistant Sports Marketing Director
Jessica Burnham.Senior e-businessmajor Paula Bryant plans
to volunteer because she said she has heard good things
about the festival from friends who volunteered last year.
“It will be nice to open the world of reading to
young kids,” Bryant said.
“This is an opportunity to interact with young children
and teach them about the love of reading,” O’Connell
said. |
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