Sometimes, it can be difficult to get kids interested in reading.
Whether it’s a book, a newspaper (yes, they still make those) or even a comic strip online, it’s not easy to convince young people that learning things that don’t come from Google or Alexa can be fun and rewarding.
Grant Williams got the message across in a big way about how important reading can be. At the tipoff event for the 2024 Mavs Reading Challenge presented by Whataburger on Tuesday, the 6-7 forward incentivized more than 100 pre-teen kids at the Forest Green branch of the Dallas Public Library.
Unbeknownst to the youngsters, Williams was ready to reward a couple of them – if they listened and learned.
After reading one of two books – The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Williams said he had a surprise for whoever could answer a question about the book. Williams posed the question of what the famished insect ate on Thursday.
Tyler Jordan raised his hand and correctly identified that the caterpillar ate four strawberries on Thursday.
Williams withdrew a crisp hundred-dollar bill from his pocket and gave it to the stunned Jordan.
Moments later, the Mavericks’ veteran who towered over his audience, asked a question about Jump Shot of Courage, the other book he read to students.
Ava Winkelmann responded with the right answer and another $100 came from Williams’ pocket and into Winkelmann’s hand.
There was no better way for Williams to get the kids to understand that reading – and understanding what you read – can pay dividends.
Williams said that when he was growing up and attending basketball camps, one of his father’s best friends was always at the camps and gave him the idea for the surprise prize.
“They always had this thing called the money game at the end of camp and it always resonated with me,” Williams said. “At camp, you’re there for basketball. But they’d ask you life questions about a speaker or people who came in and actually were giving their time – guys who weren’t basketball players.
“When you ask about somebody working in the banking industry or a teacher, no one would be able to answer those questions. It always reminded me to show the value of those people because not everyone gets the credit they deserve.
“The surprise prize, I try to do that, especially with younger kids. You may not want to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Jump Shot of Courage. But being able to listen and engage in the moment and do things you may not like (is important). You’re not going to like math or science sometimes. But if you’re willing to push through, you never know what you’ll be rewarded by.”
As the saying goes, you only learn when you listen, and all the kids at the library learned that listening can pay off.
The Mavericks and Whataburger are partnering in an effort to improve literacy throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Feeding Student Success initiative is challenging students from kindergarten through 12th grade to join the program by reading 20 minutes a day through March 8.
All participants who log 20 minutes a day for at least 40 days will have the opportunity to receive the Whataburger Certificate of Completion and a free Whataburger Jr. from participating locations as well as a Mavs’ swag bag.
The top 20 young fans who log the most minutes during the Mavs Reading Challenge will receive two tickets to a Mavs game and the top reader will receive a mascot visit to their classroom, along with Mavs and Whataburger gear.
Tuesday’s Reading Timeout was emceed by Mavericks’ game-night host Chris Arnold and featured lots of activities, including a spirited Simon Sez game that pitted Williams against all of the kids and arm-wrestling challenges between Mavs Man and a couple of flexing youngsters.
Williams, who said he currently is reading “The Silent Night,” stressed that reading isn’t always about information. It can be a way to forget about life’s stresses or cultivate your imagination.
And, in the case of Jump Shot of Courage, it can be about facing your fears.
In the book, a boy fears failure of trying out for his school basketball. Team.
“He was afraid of playing with bigger kids, the fear of failure if you don’t make the team,” Williams said. “Luckily, it’s a story that shows success. Not every story is going to have that. But the ability to try is the most important thing for any kid at a young age – and even adults.
“A lot of adults have anxiety about taking that first step. That book shows that as long as you put the work in, even if things don’t work out or if they do, you can say that you tried. And there’s always going to be an opportunity to try again.”
As he told the group of kids: “You never make the shots that you don’t take in life. Don’t be afraid to take your shot.”
The Mavericks will continue sponsoring Reading Timeouts through this season, featuring Mavs’ players, legends, coaches, mascots and entertainers in classrooms and libraries across the area.
To sign up for the Mavs Reading Challenge, visit Mavs.com/Readingchallenge or your nearby Dallas Public Library branch.
X: @ESefko
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