WRV hoops team, students team up for reading fun

The program is designed to encourage students to read and support their athletic program. Each month, Coach JB Neall and his team will be visiting different classrooms and reading with students.

"We feel that the boys will serve as good role models for the students by seeing them read. Also, we hope that the connection between the younger students and ballplayers will get students interested in athletics and into the pep block for support," WRV teacher Sabra Stoner said.

(Contributed photos) READING IS FUN: White River Valley High School basketball player Jared Shelton (top photo) reads to WRV-Worthington Elementary School kindergarten students (from left) Felipe Ruiz and Conner Banning, students in Teresa Cox's class. WRV player Ethan Dyer (bottom photo) reads to students in Kathy Karazsia's first-grade class -- (from left) Braiden Felker, Ian Rose, Raven Tatlock, and Kirsten Lee.

On Sept. 25 the team visited the kindergarten and first-grade classrooms.

Player Ethan Dyer said, "The experience was fun and it feels good because I know I'm helping the students."

Cody Jackson, a kindergarten student, said "It was neat. They read the Gingerbread Man and it came alive!"

He added, "The boys were kind of giants."

In addition, the Worthington Elementary School is having a school wide accelerated reading competition. The class with the highest score (most points) will have a pizza party and shoot hoops with the basketball team.

"So no matter what way you look at it, everybody wins," Stoner said.