Girls’ varsity basketball team reads to feeder elementary schools

The girls varsity basketball team is helping make goals on and off the court. The team began a reading program at the five feeder elementary schools to read to and support the Alpha Phonics programs called Reading with a Raider.

“We read to the kids and play games with them,” participant Emily Hartegan said.

The team attends Birmingham, Akin, Cox, Hartman and Watkins once a month. They are doing this for five months.

“Some of the Lady Raiders were supported by the Alpha Phonics programs as elementary students and they would like to give back to these programs and campuses that supported them to success,” Lady Raider Booster Club Liaison Karen Marshall said.

The School and kids truly love the program.

“I have to say that I got teary eyed when one of the students said to one of the girls ‘you have dyslexia and now you’re reading. So I am going to be like you?’” Dyslexia Therapist and Alpha Phonics Specialist at Cox, Allyson Palmer said.

The students are looking forward to seeing and getting to read with their Raiders again Oct. 9.

“The students commented afterwards things like ‘That was nice of them to come.’ and ‘that was fun.’ and ‘I bet they’re good basketball players,’” Teacher at Watkins, Debbie Wooding said. “I told them that the Lady Raiders enjoyed it as much as they did, but they all disagreed saying they liked it best.”