The group started Grand Slam for Literacy, a reading challenge for elementary school students where they can win tickets to an IU baseball game April 11 or 12.
Sophomore Rachel Green brought the program to her LLC’s leadership council, which she is a part of, and was put in charge. She then contacted the athletic department to ask if they would get involved.
“They ended up being really supportive,” Green said. “The baseball players actually went with me to one of the schools to introduce the program, and they’re providing all the tickets, too.”
The program challenges students to read a certain amount based on their age group. There are three age groups: kindergarten to second grade, third and fourth grade, and fifth and sixth grade.
“Once they finish that challenge, we’ve been getting their forms, and then they earn a free ticket to an IU baseball game,” Green said. “So far, the kids are really ?enjoying it.”
The challenge began ?Feb. 1, and all the kids have six weeks to read the required amount or more. Afterward, they fill out their forms to get free tickets for themselves and a parent chaperone.
“Six weeks is generally a good amount of time to set up a habit, so we’re hoping that by the end of it we can motivate them to want to read more on their own,” Green said.
Besides the baseball tickets, there are also prizes for the top 10 kids in each age group who read the most.
The top reader from each age group gets to throw out a first pitch at the game, the top two to five readers get to stand on the field with the baseball players during the national anthem and the top six to 10 readers get to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” over the PA system.
At the game, there will also be activities for the all the kids to take part in.
“We’ll have field day-type games,” Green said. “We have the patio and some of the grass area reserved. Also, after the game, all the kids get to run the bases and talk to some of the players.”
Right now, there are about 230 kids signed up, though it’s estimated that up to 300 kids will participate in the first Grand Slam for ?Literacy.
“As long as it goes well this year, we’re hoping that this will be the first annual Grand Slam for Literacy,” Green said. “The athletic department agreed that if it goes well, they’d like to do it again.”
Grand Slam for Literacy is a program Green designed in order to give back to the community and help promote literacy to the elementary school kids participating. Other IU students wanting to get involved can participate in the LLC’s book drive, which will take place on the baseball field from April 10 to 12 during the baseball games.
“We want to help kids get excited about reading and especially help some of the younger kids set up early reading habits and read more often,” Green said.
