The Timberwolves hosted a Read to Achieve Kickoff at Target Center on Tuesday. More than seventy-five elementary students from the Minneapolis Kids programs at Marcy Open School and Downtown Open School, as well as students from La Creche Kids, attended the inaugural event.

Timberwolves players and coaches read Halloween-themed books on the main court and assisted in carving pumpkins and creating other Halloween crafts with the students. Kids received candy from Hot Tamales and books donated by Scholastic.

The NBA's Read to Achieve Week tipped off on Monday and runs through Friday. Throughout the week, the NBA's 29 teams will host local reading events, featuring their local All-Star Reading Teams, that are designed to help promote the importance of reading and education in local youth and their families. In addition, each month throughout the season, the Timberwolves will host Reading Timeouts at various schools and libraries throughout the Twin Cities area.

The NBA's Read to Achieve campaign is a year-round national program designed to help young people develop a life-long love for reading and encourage adults to read and talk with children regularly. Reaching an estimated 50 million children a year, Read to Achieve is the most extensive educational outreach initiative in the history of professional sports.

The program receives league-wide support from the entire NBA family. In addition to being supported by all 29 NBA teams, 16 WNBA teams, the eight teams that make up the NBA's new minor league, the National Basketball Development League (NBDL), Read to Achieve is supported by the NBA's officials, parents and wives of players organizations, and the NBA Players Association and Retired Player Association. Read to Achieve also expands the NBA's existing partnerships with Scholastic Inc., and Reading Is Fundamental.

The NBA, its teams and players are committed to programs that improve the quality of life for all people and has created and implemented programs that address important social issues, with a special emphasis on reading and on-line literacy initiatives for children. Locally, we will host monthly timeouts in schools and libraries as well as distribute books to various youth oriented organizations.