PORTLAND, Ore. - Microphones in hand, Thorns FC players Kendall Johnson and Hanna Terry stood in front of a rapt audience of second graders.
Johnson and Terry took turns reading a story in both English and Spanish as part of Stand Together's Rose City Readers initiative.
So far this year, Timber Joey, Portland Timbers players Diego Chara, Jack Jewsbury, Jorge Villafana and Andrew Weber have all particpiated in readings with Chara and Villafana helping with bilingual programs. Along with Johnson and Terry on the Thorns FC side, teammates Mana Shim and McCall Zerboni have also made appearances at schools across the Portland area.
The initiative, says Portland Timbers Director of Community Relations Kristel Wissel, is to showcase the importance of reading for young children before the third grade.
"One of our focus areas is youth education," Wissel said. "We've refined that to really focus on the third grade reading initiative that Portland Public Schools has established and that is a very important transition for kids because that's when they switch from learning to read to reading to learn."
In a 2011 study, the National Assessment of Education Progress discovered that only one-third of American fourth graders were proficient readers or better. And, as Wissel points out, that transition from learning to read and reading to learn is critical to future academic performance.
"According to early childhood indicators, if kids are reading at a third grade level by the end of third grade, they're four times more likely to graduate from high school. If we can catch kids early and get them really interested and involved and inspired to read and continue their education they're more successful."
The Rose City Readers initiative is a big part of that. Having a team icon like Timber Joey or a Timbers, Thorns, or T2 player reading to Portland's elementary school children can have a major impact on these young children's educational futures.
"It's a way for our players to engage with local kids and inspire them to read instead of just signing an autograph or taking a picture," Wissel said. "It's actually getting them involved in the classroom activities so that they can participate."
