Orlando Magic center and All-Star Dwight Howard will call a reading timeout to celebrate literacy with 81 Ventura Elementary School students and their families.

Howard will be at Ventura Elementary School on Friday, February 29th from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Howard will speak about the importance of reading and participate in a Q&A session with the students. The school’s top readers who have earned “All Star” and “MVP” status will receive a certificate for their achievements. Howard will also sign copies of a new book, NBA Reader: Fast Forwards. Howard is featured in the book along with several other top NBA players.

Along with the Magic, NBA players from other teams will visit schools in their hometowns this month as part of the longstanding partnership between Scholastic and the NBA to promote reading in elementary schools across the nation.

Since 1996, the NBA and Scholastic have teamed up to publish more than 55 children’s books profiling NBA stars. Scholastic Book Fairs features three new NBA children’s books: NBA Reader: Steve Nash traces the life of the popular Phoenix Suns player, while NBA Reader: Fast Forwards and Megastars 2008 include profiles and fun facts about many of today’s top NBA stars.

Orlando’s NBA franchise since 1989, the Magic annually gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise, scholarships and grants. Orlando Magic community relations programming impact an estimated 75,000 kids annually. Over the last 18 years, nearly $14 million has been raised and distributed to local non-profit community organizations via The Orlando Magic Youth Foundation. OMYF, a fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, focuses on helping every child in Central Florida realize their full potential, especially those most at risk, by supporting programs and partnerships that empower families and change lives. Ticket highlights for 2007-08 include: a franchise-most 8,417 seats priced $25 or under per game, a $25 lower bowl ticket, and for the 10th straight year, tickets priced at $10 per game. For ticket information, log on to orlandomagic.com or call 407-89-MAGIC. Through NBA CARES, the league, players and teams will raise and contribute $100 million for charity, donate more than 1 million hours of hands-on volunteer service to communities worldwide, and build more than 100 places where kids can learn and play over the next five years.