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Read
to Achieve (RTA) is a year-round program
developed by the NBA and NBA Players
Association to help young people develop a
life-long love for reading. Reaching
millions of children worldwide, RTA is
supported by all 29 NBA teams, 16 WNBA
teams, and 8 National Basketball Development
League (NBDL) teams. With additional backing
for the NBA's Officials, Parents and Wives
of Players Organizations, and the NBA
Players Association and Retired Players
Association. Read to Achieve is sponsored by
Philips and Sprite.
Read Across America
Former Hawks player Jim Washington participated in Read Across America
Week at Monarch Elementary on February 22nd in Duluth, Georgia. This was
the Hawks’ 2nd trip to the elementary school for this event!
Atlanta Hawks Team Reading Day
Atlanta Hawks players and coaches joined students at Woodson Elementary School
in Atlanta for a special Read to Achieve event on March 8. The Hawks took part
in a school assembly, and visited a number of classrooms to read a variety of
books and discuss the importance of literacy with the children. The event was
held as part of the Read to Achieve program presented by Philips and Sprite.
Josh Childress Visits Essay Contest Winner
The Atlanta Hawks’ Josh Childress joined fifth-grader Richard Guyton Jr. for a
special day at Locust Grove Elementary School on March 22. Childress picked-up
Guyton Jr. for a limousine ride to the school, and appeared with him during the
morning video announcements, before spending some time with the fifth-grader’s
class.
Guyton Jr. was recently selected as the Grand Prize Winner of the “Take Chill to
School” Essay Contest. Atlanta area elementary school students submitted essays
on “Why you should take Josh Childress to school” from November 15 – January 3.
Guyton Jr.’s essay, which he read at school on Thursday morning, was selected
from nearly 100 entries as the winner. Submissions were judged on creativity,
grammar, content and overall impression. He also received four tickets to a
Hawks home game at Philips Arena and other prizes. The contest was held in
conjunction with the Hawks’ Read to Achieve program presented by Philips and
Sprite.
Josh Smith Visits Kennesaw Elementary
Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith took part in a special Read to
Achieve/Scholastic Book Fair awards ceremony and book signing at Kennesaw
Elementary School on Tuesday, March 20.
Smith’s appearance coincided with Scholastic’s release of NBA Reader: High
Flying Stars, which features the Hawks forward, among other NBA stars like
Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade. The book is one of three new NBA-licensed
children’s books designed to help struggling readers.
This season, NBA Cares (the league's social responsibility initiative) and
Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company,
teamed up to recognize hundreds of students nationwide who are reading to
achieve. As part of the program, elementary schools around the country
challenged their students to read as many books as they could. To reward the
high-scoring students, NBA players will honor winners at Scholastic Book Fairs
by presenting awards to children who have read enough books to earn “Rookie
Reader” and “All-Star” status. Outstanding students in each school will receive
the highest honor of “MVP”.
Additionally, Scholastic is donating $10,000 worth of books to Boys Who D.A.R.E.
as part of their partnership with the Atlanta Hawks. Smith’s participation in
the event is part of the Read to Achieve program (presented by Philips and
Sprite).
Read to Achieve Night
The Atlanta Hawks celebrated Read to Achieve Night (presented by Philips and
Sprite) on March 3 at Philips Arena. Fans were treated to a number of promotions
throughout the evening, including the first 5,000 people through the Philips
Arena doors receiving a customized copy of Hawk Dreams, courtesy of Philips and
Sprite. Children of all ages created their own Read to Achieve bookmarks and
book covers at the Kids Table (in the Philips Experience). Additionally, members
of the A-Town Dancers hosted a Reading Timeout for kids, also in the Philips
Experience.
Just before tip-off, the Hawks recognized the winner of the “Take Chill to
School” essay contest, fifth-grader Richard Guyton, Jr. from Locust Grove
Elementary School, as well as the five runners-up, Ellery Payne, Jordan Thomas
Sterling, Joshua Sims, Danielle Usher-Niemi and Brenton Bridges, in an on-court
presentation.
Panola Way Visit
Charisse Richardson visited Panola Way Elementary on December
19th as part of their reading day. Panola Way is part of the Atlanta
Hawks J. Chill’s Fast Break for Reading Program presented by Philips and
Sprite.
Criss and Moore Visit Glenn C. Jones Middle School
All-Star Readers Jovita Moore (WSB-TV) and Hawks alum Charlie Criss visited Glenn C. Jones Middle School in Buford, GA on November 14th as part of its Celebrity Reading Day. After reading their chosen story, Criss and Moore spoke to the students about their jobs and the importance of education. The event was held in conjunction with the Hawks’ Read to Achieve program presented by Philips and Sprite.
Hawks Open Reading & Learning Center for Youth Who Are Visually Impaired
The Atlanta Hawks opened the first-ever Reading & Learning Center for youth who are visually impaired on November 2 at the Center for the Visually Impaired in downtown Atlanta. Hawks guard Salim Stoudamire, forward Solomon Jones and assistant coach Greg Ballard helped unveil the new room before reading to children from the center. The event was held as part of the Read to Achieve program (sponsored by Philips and Sprite).
This is the Hawks’ ninth Reading & Learning Center in the Atlanta area, and nationally, the first devoted specifically for the visually impaired. Additionally, the Hawks donated over 300 Braille books for the room, which also includes Braille games, audio descriptive movies and more. The Center for the Visually Impaired is Georgia’s largest comprehensive, fully-accredited, private facility providing rehabilitation services for individuals of all ages who are blind or visually impaired.
Click for More Images of the Renovation
Washington and Criss Help "Read for the Record"
Starbucks and Jumpstart hosted the "Read for the Record" reading event in the heart of Midtown Atlanta at Piedmont Park on August 24. Throughout the afternoon, a number of local celebrities, including Hawks alums Jim Washington and Charlie Criss, took the stage to do readings of The Little Engine That Could. Read for the Record is a national campaign aimed at connecting adults to the powerful learning relationships that all children need before entering kindergarten. Jim and Charlie helped out with the others to gather thousands of participants for the largest shared reading experience ever and set the “world record” for the number of children reading the same book with an adult on the same day. Both former players took part in the day’s activities on behalf of the Atlanta Hawks and the Read to Achieve Program presented by Philips and Sprite.
