Madison Reporter

Year two of the Role Model Reading initiative began at Carl Sandburg Elementary, where student-athletes from the University of Wisconsin’s football and women’s hockey teams visited to encourage reading among students.

“There’s such a correlation between success in school and the ability to read,” said Greg Gillum, Wisconsin Football Chief of Staff. “It’s really great for our players to get out in the elementaries and express the importance of reading.”

The program involves UW student-athletes visiting various Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) schools each week. During these visits, athletes bring free books for students to take home and spend 30-40 minutes reading with them.

“Carl Sandburg loves when student-athletes come to visit our classes, because it gives my class something to look forward to,” said Dani Norman, a second grade teacher at Carl Sandburg Elementary. “Our students really look up to these players, so it’s awesome that they can spend some of their time inspiring our youngest learners and demonstrating why reading is so great.”

This year, participating students are reading “The Hog Mollies and Quincy’s Quest for Quiet.” The book is part of “The Hog Mollies” series written by the 2nd & 7 Foundation, a non-profit started by head football coach Luke Fickell along with Ryan Miller and Mike Vrabel. The foundation aims to promote literacy through stories and engagement with student-athletes.

The program will reach all eight MMSD full-service Community Schools this year: Hawthorne, John F. Kennedy, Lake View, Aldo Leopold, Mendota, Orchard Ridge, Carl Sandburg, and Lori Mann Carey.

“When coach Fickell started this back in 1999 he had a real passion to get out into the community,” Gillum said. “There’s so many kids that might not have a book at home, so this gives them a chance to take a book home, have their parents read it to them and develop a love for reading.”

Role Model Reading supports MMSD’s broader Mad for Reading initiative by emphasizing literacy as key to academic achievement.

The current cycle of Role Model Reading will continue through May 10, with weekly Monday visits from student-athletes.