WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State Athletics has been honored with the Good News Recognition award from the USD 259 Board of Education.
 
WSU is receiving the honor for the Reading with the Shockers program partnership with USD 259.
 
Director of Compliance Sarah Willey and women's golf student-athlete Taryn Torgerson were present at the July 10 Board of Education meeting to accept the award.
 
The Reading with the Shockers program was created last summer in conjunction with USD 259. A group of 12-15 different WSU student-athletes attended three different elementary schools each month to do activities and read with elementary school students. The three schools were Isely Elementary, Chisholm Trail Elementary and Adams Elementary.

"Reading with the Shockers has been very successful at Isely. The WSU athletes have made a powerful impact on our students. Capitalizing on their 'star' power, the athletes have the opportunity to give extra credibility to the message that reading is important," Andrea Brainard, library media specialist at Isely, said "Even though they don't preach that message directly, when our students see them reading and enjoying learning activities, they are encouraged and inspired to work hard in school."

In addition to coming out and reading with the students, Wichita State hosted book drives for each school at home baseball games, and they hosted the students for a campus tour at the end of the year.

"We appreciate the partnership with the WSU community. Connecting our students with college students is a perfect complement to our building theme, College and Career Readiness. They get to see 'big kids' who have made the decision to pursue higher education," Brainard said. "It's especially exciting for them to hear from the athletes that it's so important to keep reading and learning no matter how old you get, and no matter what kind of career you choose."

The Reading with the Shockers program will continue into the 2017 – 2018 school year.