Bobcats Host Reading Timeout at ImaginOn

The balcony at ImaginOn was closed to the public at 3 p.m. on Tuesday as 60 students from First Ward Elementary entered anxiously to see which Bobcats players were waiting for their arrival.

The excitement was evident on each child’s face when they saw that some of their favorite Bobcats -- Gerald Wallace, Brevin Knight and Jake Voskuhl -- made it out to ImaginOn for a Holiday Reading Timeout as part of the NBA’s Read to Achieve program and the Bobcats Season Of Giving.

The players and students quickly got acquainted by sharing why they liked to read before starting the activities.

After spending some time interacting with the students, everyone gathered around as the Bobcats took turn reading The Mitten by Jan Brett to the group. The highlight of the event came with a special reading by Knight himself and featured Voskuhl and Wallace acting the story out with the students. From there it was on to a question-and-answer session with the players, a surprise visit by Bobcats mascot Rufus Lynx and a holiday activity for the children.

The kids especially enjoyed acting out the story with the players, as Wallace and Voskuhl gave their best performances as the roles of the mole and the bear, respectively.

It was clear that the students were excited the players were there as they listened intently to every word and were able to name all of the animals in the story after it was read to them the first time.

“I think this was a good thing to do because the kids look forward to these basketball players and athletes doing things,” said Nina Johnson, a teaching assistant with First Ward. “They came out to see them, and the fact that they read to the kids shows it is not just about basketball.”

The players offered words of wisdom for their young fans in the question-and-answer session, telling them about the importance of reading and stressing that if they get mad or frustrated with something to relax and try it again.

“I think it is a great lesson to show them that education is everything,” said Wallace.

While reading and education was the focus of the Reading Timeout, it was obvious as the players and children interacted that the event was also about having fun.

“It is very important for them to see that reading is a life long thing,” said Knight. “We like to try and make if fun for the kids, too. It’s important in these situations that everyone has a good time and takes away that important message.”

After the players left, the students also took time coloring in pictures of the animals mentioned in The Mitten while they waited in line patiently to get an autograph from Rufus.

Every child in attendance received a Bobcats gift bag that included a T-shirt and a book, and at the event’s end, perhaps no words summed up the event better than those of Gavin, one of the students at First Ward Elementary.

“This is the greatest day of my life,” he shouted.

And certainly one that everyone in attendance will remember fondly.