The entire Bucks team took a trip to the Milwaukee Art Museum on Monday, Nov. 18, to do their part in encouraging school children to understand the importance of reading and learning. The Bucks joined Sam’s Hope Literacy Foundation to host 1,000 children from six Milwaukee-area schools for an afternoon of fun and education.
The students had the opportunity to explore the museum before the Bucks players and coaches arrived to read with them and talk about how an appreciation for reading and learning helped them succeed. All children went home with their very own book compliments of Sam’s Hope. Participating schools included: Milwaukee Urban Day School, La Causa Charter School, Lloyd Barbee Montessori School, Hayes Bilgingual School, Silver Spring Elementary School and Milwaukee French Immersion School.
The theme for this year’s initiative is “The Dave Project: A Legacy of Healthy Words.” The students will write short answers to the question: “If you had 15 words that would last forever, what would you say?” Teachers will submit their student’s work for consideration at bucks.com/samshope, and selected entries will receive prizes. The standout answers will earn gifts provided by the Bucks, Sam’s Hope and sponsors. An ultimate selection will be made from the submissions and one lucky student will receive a classroom visit from a Bucks player along with other prizes. Additional sponsors for the Dave Project include: Chipstone Foundation, Fonda Bridges, Scholastic Book Fairs, UPS Toys for Tots Literary Program and New Thread of Hope.
Sam’s Hope has worked with the Milwaukee Bucks for 16 years. The mission of the partnership is to encourage Milwaukee-area children to read at home each day, to achieve in school and to provide new books for children to own through 20 joint projects. Sam Garner was just 12 years old when he and his siblings founded Sam’s Hope.