Waverly Athletes Show Elementary Students Importance of Reading

Article Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

(Waverly) – Waverly second graders and Tiger student-athletes are teaming up with the 2nd and 7 Foundation to take on reading.

The 2nd and 7 Foundation promotes reading and encourages high school athletes to be positive role models by partnering with young students. The program, started in 1999 by former Ohio State football players Ryan Miller, Luke Fickell, and Mike Vrabel, provides free books to each second grader at Waverly Primary School.

“My students love the 2nd and 7 program because they see leaders being readers,” said Heather Longcoy, second grade teacher. “The program is exciting to them because our younger students see athletes teaching them respect and responsibility through the love of reading.”

This is the first year for the program at Waverly. When the students receive their new books, high school students join them in their classroom to read to them. The books are a special series created just for the 2nd and 7 Foundation, and they have been a big hit.

“The 2nd and 7 Foundation provides a wonderful opportunity for our second graders to gain valuable character-building lessons from our own student- athletes,” said Waverly Primary Principal Sara Turner. “It reminds our students that readers can become leaders. Each time our high school volunteers come over to read in our classrooms we are able to send a book home with each student. So far, over 300 books have gone home in the hands of our students.”

The second graders aren’t the only ones who look forward to the visits.

“I enjoy interacting with the students because I feel it’s important to lead by example, and that I might add value and encourage them to enjoy new learning experiences through reading,” said Logan Long, Waverly Senior student-athlete.