KAYSVILLE -- Members of the Davis High School boys basketball team made the chairs in teacher Shelley Street's first-grade classroom look like dollhouse furniture.
One 7-foot-tall player, squeezing his long frame into one of the tiny chairs, folded himself in half, putting his knees nearly to his chin.
But outside of that, the players paying a special visit to Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville on Tuesday appeared comfortable in their uniform gray sweats.
The players read to the first-grade students a few of the books the team brought to donate to the school.
By splitting up, the players were able to visit all four first-grade classes at the school, providing each with some story time and each child with a small plastic bottle of Gatorade.
In addition to the drink and the books, the team presented each class with a brand-new basketball, and each of the four teachers with a small box planter filled with flowers.
In turn, the players received from the children loads of smiles and their full attention during the reading period, as the children appeared almost mesmerized by their tall, new friends.
But after the book closed on story time, the children began to interact more with the team, making every effort to jump high enough into the air to offer the players a high-five.
Windridge Elementary School Principal Maren Zimmerman said Tuesday's visit provided a "positive experience" for both her students and the basketball team members who went out of their way to read to the children.
The books read by the players included "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" and "Giraffes Can Dance."
"(They are) such a role model for (the elementary students)," Zimmerman said of the players.
A couple of the players, she said, went to Windridge.
One player who relishes the role of being a good example for the youngsters is senior Jace Johnson.
"If people look up to you, it helps keep you in check," said Johnson, a forward on the team.
"The community gives so much to us, we like to give back," said senior team member Lincoln Holt.
"It's a blast. I love it. Seeing the (kids) smile, made me smile," said sophomore Abel Porter, who was one of the players given the opportunity to read to the children.
Street said her students were excited to have the basketball team come and read to them.
"It's a good idea for service," she said.
Davis High School boys basketball coach Jay Welk said by visiting schools, the team shows the children the importance of education, and the players benefit too.
"It's great for players to do things beyond the game," Welk said.
Janalyn Holt, who helped organize the event and who is Lincoln's mother, said she was impressed that the players paid for the donated books themselves.
Terri Johnson, Jace's mother, said, "They love doing this as much as they love playing basketball."
Comments