DALLAS (January 29, 2004) – Today the Dallas Mavericks hosted a pep rally for T.A. Sims Elementary in Fort Worth, the winning school in this year’s Reading Challenge. T.A. Sims averaged the most minutes read per student in grades two through four (648.80 minutes) at the Mavs five adopt-a-schools, and received a visit from the Mavericks.

Mavs players Marquis Daniels and Antoine Walker hosted the event along with Mavs mascot Mavs Man. As part of the event the players presented the top reader, Amairany Franco (second grade) with a plaque and the school with a plaque and Read To Achieve pillows and blanket.

"The goal of the Reading Challenge is to show students that reading and literacy are not only important for their future, but also that reading can be fun," said Dawn Holgate, director of corporate communications and community relations for the Dallas Mavericks. "Providing a Mavs pep rally as an incentive proved to be a good way to motivate the students to read. Our hope is that they will continue to read in order to enrich their lives."

In a continuing effort to promote literacy, the Dallas Mavericks hosted the 6th annual Reading Challenge at the club’s five adopt-a-schools (Harrell Budd Elementary, J.T. Saldivar Elementary, Martin Luther King Learning Center and S.S. Conner Elementary in Dallas and T.A. Sims Elementary in Fort Worth). The contest encouraged second, third and fourth grade students to read as many minutes as possible. The school whose students read the most minutes between Nov. 15 and Dec. 15 received a visit by the Mavericks. The student with the most minutes read overall at each school attended the Mavs vs. Philadelphia game January 14th and met Antawn Jamison after the game.

Special thanks to Brookshire’s, Chick-fil-A, Comcast and Unilever for their support of the 2003-04 Dallas Mavericks Reading Challenge.

T.A. Sims show their support of reading! Dawn Holgate/dallasmavericks.com

The kids won the pep rally for reading the most minutes. Dawn Holgate/dallasmavericks.com

The students made the signs to welcome the players! Dawn Holgate/dallasmavericks.com

Walker and Daniels talk to the students about the importance of reading and getting an education. Dawn Holgate/dallasmavericks.com

The guys also answered questions from the kids. Dawn Holgate/dallasmavericks.com

Daniels & Walker presented the school with a plaque and Read To Achieve blanket for being the winning school. Dawn Holgate/dallasmavericks.com

Second grader Amairany Franco was the top winner of the school. She read 3,300 minutes. Dawn Holgate/dallasmavericks.com